Abstract：
OBJECTIVE: In the Danish healthcare system, restructuring is an ongoing process to accommodate the rising number of patients and to optimise resource allocation. To ease departmental burdens at hospitals in the North Denmark Region, outpatients are empowered to collect their cost-free medicines from medication pick-up lockers. The lockers function similarly to a package box, thereby enhancing patient freedom. Due to lack of evidence within the published literature regarding cost-free medicines and medicine waste, the aim of our study was to identify the common medications delivered to medicine pick-up lockers and secondly, to evaluate potential medicine waste.
METHODS: Data from ApoVision provided insights into medications delivered to medicine pick-up lockers from March to October 2023 in the North Denmark Region. To estimate unused medicines we obtained data on the number of medications returned from medicine pick-up lockers.
RESULTS: From 2020 to 2023, the number of patients receiving cost-free medicines at medication pick-up lockers increased. In total, approximately 30 000 packages of medicine were delivered to medicine pick-up lockers from March to October 2023 in the North Denmark Region; 1.7% were returned. Methotrexate, adalimumab, and omalizumab were among the most common deliveries and were also the three most returned from the medicine pick-up lockers.
CONCLUSIONS: This study is an initial attempt to investigate potential medicine waste in cost-free medicines dispensed to outpatients via pick-up lockers. Antineoplastic and immunomodulating agents were the most common medicines delivered to medication pick-up lockers in the North Denmark Region from March to October 2023. In this period, approximately 2% of all delivered medicine packages were returned to the hospital pharmacy. Our analysis solely focuses on waste associated with medications left uncollected from medicine pick-up lockers. Addressing the impact of medicine waste in a hospital setting requires a comprehensive approach, thus future studies should also focus on other sites relevant for medication waste as, for example, the patient\'s household.
METHODS: Data from ApoVision provided insights into medications delivered to medicine pick-up lockers from March to October 2023 in the North Denmark Region. To estimate unused medicines we obtained data on the number of medications returned from medicine pick-up lockers.
RESULTS: From 2020 to 2023, the number of patients receiving cost-free medicines at medication pick-up lockers increased. In total, approximately 30 000 packages of medicine were delivered to medicine pick-up lockers from March to October 2023 in the North Denmark Region; 1.7% were returned. Methotrexate, adalimumab, and omalizumab were among the most common deliveries and were also the three most returned from the medicine pick-up lockers.
CONCLUSIONS: This study is an initial attempt to investigate potential medicine waste in cost-free medicines dispensed to outpatients via pick-up lockers. Antineoplastic and immunomodulating agents were the most common medicines delivered to medication pick-up lockers in the North Denmark Region from March to October 2023. In this period, approximately 2% of all delivered medicine packages were returned to the hospital pharmacy. Our analysis solely focuses on waste associated with medications left uncollected from medicine pick-up lockers. Addressing the impact of medicine waste in a hospital setting requires a comprehensive approach, thus future studies should also focus on other sites relevant for medication waste as, for example, the patient\'s household.
摘要：
目标：在丹麦医疗保健系统中，重组是一个持续的过程，以适应不断增加的患者人数并优化资源分配。为了减轻北丹麦地区医院的部门负担，门诊病人有权从取药柜收取免费药物。储物柜的功能类似于包装盒，从而增强患者的自由度。由于在已发表的文献中缺乏有关免费药品和药品废物的证据，我们研究的目的是确定运送到取药柜的常见药物，其次，评估潜在的药物废物。
方法：来自ApoVision的数据提供了有关2023年3月至10月在北丹麦地区运送到药品取药柜的药物的见解。为了估计未使用的药物，我们获得了有关从药品取药柜返回的药物数量的数据。
结果：从2020年到2023年，在取药柜接受免费药物的患者人数增加。总的来说,2023年3月至10月,北丹麦地区约有3万包药品被运送到取药柜;1.7%被退回.甲氨蝶呤,阿达木单抗,奥马珠单抗和奥马珠单抗是最常见的分娩方式之一,也是从取药储物柜中回收最多的三个分娩方式.
结论：这项研究是初步尝试调查通过提箱分配给门诊患者的免费药物中潜在的药物浪费。从2023年3月至10月，抗肿瘤剂和免疫调节剂是北丹麦地区最常见的药物取药柜。在这个时期,大约2%的已交付药物包装被退回医院药房.我们的分析仅集中在与未从药物提取储物柜中收集的药物相关的废物上。解决医院环境中药品废物的影响需要采取全面的方法，因此，未来的研究还应集中在与药物废物相关的其他场所，例如,病人的家庭。
方法：来自ApoVision的数据提供了有关2023年3月至10月在北丹麦地区运送到药品取药柜的药物的见解。为了估计未使用的药物，我们获得了有关从药品取药柜返回的药物数量的数据。
结果：从2020年到2023年，在取药柜接受免费药物的患者人数增加。总的来说,2023年3月至10月,北丹麦地区约有3万包药品被运送到取药柜;1.7%被退回.甲氨蝶呤,阿达木单抗,奥马珠单抗和奥马珠单抗是最常见的分娩方式之一,也是从取药储物柜中回收最多的三个分娩方式.
结论：这项研究是初步尝试调查通过提箱分配给门诊患者的免费药物中潜在的药物浪费。从2023年3月至10月，抗肿瘤剂和免疫调节剂是北丹麦地区最常见的药物取药柜。在这个时期,大约2%的已交付药物包装被退回医院药房.我们的分析仅集中在与未从药物提取储物柜中收集的药物相关的废物上。解决医院环境中药品废物的影响需要采取全面的方法，因此，未来的研究还应集中在与药物废物相关的其他场所，例如,病人的家庭。
