Just eight years ago, fax machines were the primary method for sending medication orders to the pharmacy. Less than a decade later, as CPOE has become dominant across facilities of all types and sizes, it would not be surprising to come across residents who have never used a fax machine. Nevertheless, supplemental methods for order transmission—while diminishing—have yet to completely disappear. In fact, use of physician order imaging systems has remained steady over the past three years and pneumatic tubes experienced a slight uptick in use this year.

For more information, visit www.pppmag.com/automation and click on Medication Ordering Systems.