OBJECTIVE

2

To establish a closed-loop management system for the whole-process traceability of outpatient drugs based on internet of things （IoT） and blockchain technology， and evaluate its implementation effects.

METHODS

2

A closed-loop management system for the whole-process traceability of outpatient drugs covering the entire drug lifecycle was designed using drug traceability codes integrated with IoT and blockchain technology. System effectiveness was evaluated from three dimensions： work efficiency， medication management quality and data safety by comparing indicators such as the acceptance time of incoming drugs and the number of collected drug traceability codes before the system implementation （October to December 2024） and after the system implementation （January to March 2025）.

RESULTS

2

A closed-loop management system for the whole-process traceability of outpatient drugs， centered around the drug traceability code management system， was successfully established. The acceptance time for incoming drugs was shortened from （4.65±0.26） h before implementation to （0.34±0.08） h after implementation （

P

＜0.05）. The number of collected drug traceability codes increased from 419 018 to 1 236 522， and the coverage rate of traceability codes rose from 28.36% to 89.88% （

P

＜0.05）. The time pharmacists spent on drug expiry management per week decreased from （128.40±19.20） min to （0.56±0.13） min （

P

＜0.05），

and the dispensing time for a single prescription （excluding a part of injections and repackaged drugs） was reduced from （143.25±17.67） s to （15.24±10.08） s （

P

＜0.05）. The time for drug return was reduced from 129.90 （122.32， 137.00） s to 104.36 （89.91， 117.33） s（

P

＜0.05）； the number of drug dispensing errors decreased from 2 cases to 0 cases. After the system was launched， there were no data security incidents in our outpatient pharmacy.

CONCLUSIONS

2

The constructed closed-loop management system for the whole-process traceability of outpatient drugs can significantly enhance drug traceability accuracy and drug management quality， improve pharmacist work efficiency， and reduce drug management risks， thus providing a feasible solution for the digital transformation of hospital pharmaceutical services.