Background/Purpose: Intravenous (IV) therapy is administered to over 90% of hospitalized patients, and medication errors with IV push drugs remain a significant safety concern. Best practice recommendations from the Institute for Safe Medication Practices encourage health institutions to employ ready-to-administer (RTA) formulations to minimize bedside preparation and compounding errors. Hospital pharmacies typically utilize manual preparation, 503B outsourcing, and/or robotic automation for bulk syringe production. Manual compounding can be labor-intensive and prone to human error, while outsourcing introduces variable costs and supply chain risks. Robotic syringe filling technology offers potential improvements in efficiency, compliance, and financial sustainability.
This study aims to evaluate the financial and operational implications of implementing robotic syringe filling technology, by comparing cost, efficiency, and quality metrics with those of manual compounding and 503B outsourcing methods for select medications.Goal: To evaluate the financial and operational impact of implementing an IV syringe filler robot at a large academic medical center.
Purpose Statement: This study aims to evaluate the financial and operational implications of implementing robotic syringe filling technology by comparing cost, efficiency, and quality metrics with those of manual compounding and 503B outsourcing methods for select medications. Primary objective: Compare cost per syringe before and after the implementation of an IV syringe filler robot
Secondary objectives: - Evaluate changes in operational efficiency
- Describe return on investment (ROI) and sterility pass rates following implementation
Methods: A quasi-experimental, pre-test/post-test study will be conducted at a large academic medical center over a ten-month period. The study timeframe incorporates a washout period following robot implementation to accommodate staff training and ensure the technology operates at full capacity. Data sources include inventory management software, purchasing history, syringe filler robot logs, manually completed technician logs, and electronic health record (EHR) systems. Comparator groups consist of pre-implementation (manual compounding and 503B outsourcing) and post-implementation (robotic syringe compounding) periods. The primary endpoint is cost per syringe pre- and post-robot implementation, including supplies, drugs, and IV fluid components. Secondary endpoints include ROI, compounding times during full capacity and downtime events, and sterility pass rates. Continuous data will be analyzed using t-tests, and sterility outcomes and ROI will be summarized with descriptive statistics.
Results: Data collection is currently underway, with preliminary findings expected by June 2026.
