Hello, this is Ilwon Station Exit 1 Pharmacy.
We would like to introduce the development process of the **Cassette Xchange** program, designed to check the compatibility of cassettes (JVM, U-Pharm AutoPack) for pharmacy automated dispensing machines. This program enhances pharmacy operational efficiency, and we will guide you through its journey from planning to completion.
If you would like to receive the program,
please leave your email address in the comments,
and we will send it to you.
- Free distribution -
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| Source: Yakup News |
Pharmacies use automated
dispensing machines (e.g., JVM ATC or U-Pharm AutoPack)
to prepare medications.
As mentioned in the article, the containers that hold medications in these machines are called cassettes (cartridges).
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| Cassette (Cartridge) / Source : JVM |
Whenever a medication changes, new cassettes must be ordered,
and the previously used cassettes often become dead stock.
If you're lucky, a medication with a similar size might be compatible,
but due to the lack of precise size comparison,
these cassettes typically end up as unused inventory.
To address this issue, I developed Cassette Xchange.
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Cassette Xchange: Enhancing Pharmacy Efficiency
Automated dispensing machines are essential for processing prescriptions quickly
and accurately in pharmacies.
However, checking cassette compatibility is cumbersome
due to varying medication sizes.
Cassette Xchange was developed to simplify pharmacy operations
and improve efficiency.
Development Background : Born from Real Pharmacy Needs
While managing cassettes for automated dispensing machines, we identified the inconvenience of manually checking compatibility based on medication sizes.
In particular, the lack of accurate compatibility information during inventory management and medication changes led to wasted time.
To address this, we started development with the following goals.
Accurate Compatibility Testing
Calculating compatibility for tablets (90~102%)
and capsules (90~105%) based on medication size.
User-Friendly Interface
An intuitive UI designed for easy use by pharmacists.
Inventory Management Integration
Upload pharmacy inventory data via Excel to check compatibility
and stock availability simultaneously.
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Cassette Xchange Inventory Upload Excel File |
Development Process: From Planning to Completion
1. Requirement Definition
With a deep understanding of pharmacy operations,
we designed key features based on pharmacists' needs :
- Search by medication name or EDI code.
- Display compatible medications with percentage (%) compatibility.
- Apply different compatibility ratios for tablets and capsules.
- Visually distinguish stock availability with colors (in stock: red, out of stock: black).
2. Technical Implementation
- Developed a GUI-based program using Python and PyQt5.
- Data Processing : Collected medication size data from public APIs and stored it in JSON format.
- Compatibility Calculation : Supported size calculations up to two decimal places (e.g., 19.10mm, 6.63mm).
- UI Design : Divided into a left panel (search and information) and a right panel (list of compatible medications).
- Debugging : Resolved size data parsing issues and added logs to enhance stability.
3. Testing and Improvement
Tested in a pharmacy environment and incorporated improvements
- Initially set compatibility ratios at 90~100%, but adjusted them to accommodate slightly larger sizes.
- Based on user feedback, optimized UI height and improved search speed.
Features and Expected Benefits of Cassette Xchange
Cassette Xchange offers the following advantages for pharmacy operations :
Time Savings
Quick compatibility checks reduce medication replacement time.
Improved Accuracy
Reliable results based on South Korea’s public API data.
Convenient Inventory and Compatibility Integration
Simultaneous checking of compatibility and stock via Excel uploads.
Closing Thoughts
Cassette Xchange is the result of my solo effort, developed with the help of Grok AI, to address cassette management issues in pharmacy automated dispensing machines.
We hope it becomes a valuable tool for improving pharmacy operational efficiency.
If you want to bring innovation to your pharmacy, give Cassette Xchange a try!
Since I am not a professional coder, there may be some limitations in using the program.
Please feel free to share any feedback, and we will continuously improve it.
