Masayoshi Horioka

The Present Condition of Computerized Systems in Hospital Pharmacies

We investigated the current situation of computerization of hospital pharmacies at 40 national university hospitals (national), 2 private university hospitals and 12 general hospitals (others), all utilizing computers at present.The computerized system is now used in many hospitals for efficient administrative and accounting functions. For example, 59.0% of the nationals and 92.3% of the others use the system for registration of patients, and 56.4% of the nationals and 92.3% of the others for accounting. Moreover, computers are rapidly introduced into other sections: 43.6 % of the nationals and 53.8% of the others use them for laboratory systems, 41.0% and 84.6% for pharmacy systems, 12.8% and 23.1% for X-ray systems.45.7% of the nationals and 84.6% of the others use computer in control of drugs, 22.5%and 38.5% in dispensing service, and 12.5% and 30.8% in drug information services.The hospital pharmacy practices are closely related to the works of the other hospital sections. Therefore, they are very important for the progress of hospital function when designing systems and for the development of medical treatment.

Actual Conditions of Dispensing Equipments at Hospital Pharmacy Investigated by Questionnaires

On the basis of the questionnaires sent back from 426 institutions, we investigated the actual conditions and moot points of the equipments for dispensing. Powder packing machine has spread to 98.6% of total institutions surveyed, and it has become indispensable for hospital pharmacies. Compared with the results of the study previously made in 1969, both the rate and number of the institutions installed with the equipment have increased, and the efficiency of the device has been improved. Recently, automatic dividing and packing machine has been used very widely. The rate of institutions having tablet crushers for dispensing remained as low as 60.1%, and that of those having mixers for diespensing was far lower, 37.1%. One-dose packaging was practiced, in various ways, at 67.4% of institutions. Drug dust clearing system was installed at 55.2%, and 2/3 of the institutions reported that the system helped prevent pharmacy allergy. Most of the non-installed hospitals desired to have such system.

Effect of Parenteral Amino Acid Solution on Erythrocytes

(Received August 26, 1978) Effect of parenteral amino acid solution on erythrocytes was examined on the basis of changes in osmotic fragility of erythrocytes with a coil planet centrifuge. At the same time, morphological changes in erythrocytes were examined by a scanning electron microscope, and changes in particle distribution of erythrocytes by automatic particle counter (HIAC). Effect of parenteral amino acid solution on erythrocytes became greater in parallel with the increase in osmotic pressure of the solution, and this was confirmed by the result of scanning electron microscopy. Even when a hypertonic amino acid solution was diluted to the isotonic solution, osmotic fragility of erythrocytes was varied depending on the kind and quantity of amino acids present and the kind of sugars added. The fragility was also affected by mixing ratios of blood and amino acid solution. Sodium hydrogen sulfite added to the parenteral solution as an antioxidant was found to have no specific effect on the osmotic fragility of erythrocytes. These results indicated that the test conditions should be taken into consideration when the effect of drugs on erythrocytes is judged.