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When Lehigh Valley Health Network's Cedar Crest campus pharmacy team approached us about improving their medication dispensing workflow, they had a clear goal: reduce errors while managing an ever-expanding formulary. The flagship hospital serves thousands of patients daily, and every prescription filled correctly is a potential adverse event prevented.
The Challenge: Growing Formulary, Limited Space
Hospital pharmacies face a unique operational challenge. As new medications enter the market and treatment protocols evolve, the number of unique items a pharmacy must stock grows continuously. At Cedar Crest, the existing shelving was at capacity. Pharmacists spent valuable time walking between aisles and manually searching for medications — time that could be better spent on clinical consultation and patient care.
Beyond space constraints, the manual pick process introduced human error risk. Even well-trained pharmacists operating under time pressure can occasionally pull the wrong item from a crowded shelf. In a hospital setting, a dispensing error can have serious patient safety consequences.
The Solution: VLM + High-Density Mobile Shelving
Reynolds installed a combination of Vertical Lift Modules (VLMs) and high-density mobile shelving specifically configured for pharmaceutical storage. The VLMs use automated pick-to-light technology with integrated barcode scanning — a pharmacist scans the prescription, and the VLM automatically presents the correct tray at an ergonomic height with the target medication illuminated.
The high-density mobile shelving handles bulk storage and overflow inventory, mounted on carriages that eliminate wasted aisle space. The combined system increased total storage capacity while reducing the pharmacy's physical footprint — freeing floor space for additional clinical workstations.
The safest inventory is the one a technician doesn't have to hunt for.
The Results: 99.9% Accuracy
Since implementation, Cedar Crest pharmacy has achieved a 99.9% dispensing accuracy rate. The automated pick verification eliminates most common error types, while the ergonomic design reduces technician fatigue across long shifts. HIPAA compliance is maintained through integrated access controls and full audit trails on every transaction. The success at Cedar Crest has informed Reynolds' approach to pharmacy storage across the broader LVHN health system, including recent installations at their Carbon and Dickson City facilities.
Frequently asked questions
What improves pharmacy dispensing accuracy?
Barcode verification, automated dispensing and storage systems, and organized, clearly labeled storage reduce picking errors. Goods-to-person storage also frees pharmacist time for verification rather than searching.
How does storage design affect medication safety?
Well-organized, high-density or automated storage keeps look-alike/sound-alike medications separated and inventory visible, reducing selection errors and expired stock.
What storage systems do hospital pharmacies use?
High-density mobile shelving, vertical carousels and lift modules, and modular casework — chosen to fit the footprint, secure controlled substances, and speed retrieval.
How is controlled-substance storage secured?
Through access-controlled cabinets and rooms, audit logging, and inventory tracking that maintains a defensible chain-of-custody.
Does Reynolds outfit healthcare pharmacy storage?
Yes. Reynolds designs and installs high-density, automated, and casework storage for healthcare and pharmacy environments across Pennsylvania and the Mid-Atlantic.
