The 5R rule promotes patient-centered drug control and secure medication administration. The letter “R” denotes “right” and aims to:

• The right patient
• The right drug
• The right dose
• The right route of administration
• The right time

When sorting, dispensing, and administering medication, the five rights of medication are applied to prevent errors.

Why is the 5R rule so important and who is using it?

• The effects of medication administration errors, whether they affect dosage, allocation, intake, or administration, can be severe. A study that was published in 2018 by the German health magazine “Bundesgesundheitsblatt” found that receiving the wrong medication affected 8 to 15% of all patients in Swiss hospitals. Therefore, it is essential to ensure that the medication administration procedure is flawless, especially in hospitals.
• Several groups of people who are involved in the process of medication management are included in the five rights of medication, which provide a decisive orientation. Beginning with the attending physicians, who give the medication to the nursing staff and the hospital pharmacists,

How does pharmacy automation support the 5 rights of medication?

• Throughout the hospital medication supply process, automated processes employing robotic dispensing solutions and the unit doses approach aid in the implementation of the five medication rights.