How has the implementation of the electronic health records (EHRs) affected the medication dispensing time in the in-patient pharmacy department at Buraydah Central Hospital? A quasi-experimental study

Abstract

Background: Electronic health records (EHRs) are increasingly adopted worldwide, but evidence of their effects on medication dispensing efficiency is limited, particularly in non-Western healthcare settings. The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of an EHR system on medication dispensing time in a hospital pharmacy in Saudi Arabia. Methods: A quasi-experimental pre-post study design was used to compare medication dispensing times before and after EHR implementation across seven inpatient departments in Buraydah Central Hospital. Timestamp data on 5,110 medication dispensing instances were extracted from the pharmacy records. Results: EHR implementation led to statistically significant reductions in overall mean dispensing times (by 25.8%, from 90.9 minutes to 67.5 minutes, p < 0.001) and within each department (by 16.3%–49.1%, p < 0.001). Conclusion: This study provides quantitative evidence that introducing the use of EHRs substantially improved the medication dispensing efficiency in a Saudi Arabian hospital pharmacy. Further research should assess the long-term impacts of the use of EHRs across multiple sites. Keywords: electronic health record, medication dispensing, pharmacy, time efficiency, Saudi Arabia