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1. 2D
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   2D

   Two-dimensional bar code. 2D barcodes make use of the vertical dimension of a barcode to deliver more information than conventional one dimensional barcodes.

1. 340B
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   340B

   A 340B contract generally refers to the federal drug discount program established under Section 340B of the Public Health Service Act.

1. 5-Rs
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   5-Rs

   A term used to describe the five basic checks when a medication is administered: Right patient, Right med, Right dose, Right route, and Right time.

A

1. A location
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   A location

   The specific location in which a pre-packaged medication order is stored. In AutoCarousel, the “A” location would represent a particular slot in a bin in the carousel.

2. Acquisition cost
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   Acquisition cost

   Price paid for a drug from the distributor

3. ACRS
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   ACRS

   Automated Canister Recognition System. A software system that automatically identifies a canister and allows it to be relocated from one place to another without having to make manual entries via the software.

4. Active screen
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   Active screen

   The display showing all of the orders in queue for a given zone that need filling from a vertical carousel or remote locations.

5. Acuity
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   Acuity

   Severity of illness.

6. Acute Care Facility
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   Acute Care Facility

   A hospital, medical center, or research and teaching facility used for medical treatment. These terms are often used interchangeably.

7. ADE, Adverse Event
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   ADE, Adverse Event

   Adverse Drug Event or Adverse Event. Any adverse change in health that occurs in a person and can be reasonably associated with the use of the prescribed drug.

8. ADT
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   ADT

   Admission, Discharge, and Transfer. General designation for the patient admission or registration in a health care facility. This includes the collection of demographic, diagnostic, financial and insurance information and then assigning the patient to a designated medical service within the organization. Also refers to the software application that manages the admission, discharge, and transfer functions within a patient management system.

1. ADU
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   ADU

   Automated Dispensing Unit. Medication storage units usually located in patient care areas used to house medications and control access. Authorized users are able to add and remove medications while the unit keeps track of usage, par level, and quantity on hand.

2. ADUI
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   ADUI

   Automated Dispensing Unit Interface, the software that allows AutoPharm to communicate with medication storage units.

3. Adulteration
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   Adulteration

   A reason cited by the FDA for federal recall of a drug based on suspected tampering.

4. Affiliate Pharmacy
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   Affiliate Pharmacy

   Similar to satellite pharmacy within the hospital, but separated in physical distance from the central pharmacy. This distance may result in a certain amount of autonomy including the ability to do first doses and stat orders, and compounding.

5. AHA
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   AHA

   American Hospital Association. National advocacy organization which represents over 5000 hospitals, health care networks, providers, and patients.

6. AHFS
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   AHFS

   American Hospital Formulary Service. A six digit AHFS code number is assigned to a drug based on its therapeutic classification (e.g., antihistamines, vaccines) for utilization purposes.

7. AIDC
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   AIDC

   Automatic Identification and Data Capture. A method of identifying objects, collecting data about them, and entering that data directly into a computer system. AIDC examples include bar codes, RFID, biometrics, magnetic stripes, and smart cards.

8. All zone counters tab
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   All zone counters tab

   The All Zone Counters screen displays the current queue order status for all zones within the AutoPharm system.

1. Ambulatory Care
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   Ambulatory Care

   Providing health care without admitting the patient for an overnight stay. Also referred to as Outpatient Care.

2. Ambulatory Clinics
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   Ambulatory Clinics

   A walk-in clinic designed strictly for outpatient care.

3. Ampoule, Ampule
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   Ampoule, Ampule

   A small glass vial that is sealed after filling, designed primarily as a container for hypodermic solutions. Ampoule is the preferred spelling.

4. Ancillary, Ancillary Services
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   Ancillary, Ancillary Services

   The secondary or supporting departments of a medical facility, such as radiology, physical therapy, and labs.

5. APhA
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   APhA

   American Pharmacists Association. The first and largest professional association established for pharmacists, it has over 50,000 members

6. ASCP
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   ASCP

   American Society of Consulting Pharmacists. The American Society of Consultant Pharmacists (ASCP) is the international professional association that provides leadership, education, advocacy, and resources to advance the practice of consultant and senior care pharmacy.

7. ASHP
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   ASHP

   American Society of Health Systems Pharmacists – formed in 1942 with a mission to advance and support the professional practice of pharmacists in hospitals and health care institutions. The organization provides reference material, educational seminars, and at least two conventions each year in support of Pharmacy Practice in health care organizations.

8. ATDPS
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   ATDPS

   Automatic Tablet Dispensing and Packaging System. This is the AutoPack embedded computer.

1. AutoCarousel™
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   AutoCarousel™

   The automated pharmaceutical storage and retrieval system.

2. AutoCool™
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   AutoCool™

   An access-controlled refrigerated storage unit designed to provide security and inventory control for pharmaceuticals that require refrigeration.

3. AutoLabel®
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   AutoLabel®

   A patent-pending label system designed to bar code all medications not handled by AutoPack.

4. AutoPack™
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   AutoPack™

   A fully automated packaging system that produces unit dose and multidose packages.

5. AutoPharm®
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   AutoPharm®

   The software at the core of the Talyst pharmacy inventory management tools. AutoPharm helps manage inventory and workflow to maximize the efficiency of a hospital’s pharmacy.

6. AutoSplit® 340B
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   AutoSplit® 340B

   Processes and tracks pharmaceutical usage to help eligible healthcare organizations fully utilize the 340B contract portfolio. A 340B contract refers to the federal drug discount program established under Section 340B of the Public Health Service Act

7. AWP
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   AWP

   Average Wholesale Price. The average price wholesalers sell drugs to physicians, pharmacies, and other customers. AWP is often used as a basis for determining cost and reimbursement models.

B

1. Background
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   Background

   The spaces, quiet zones, and clear area surrounding a printed symbol.

2. Bar
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   Bar

   The darker element of a printed bar code symbol.

3. Bar Code
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   Bar Code

   An automatic identification technology which encodes information into an array of varying width parallel rectangle bars and spaces. There are dozens of public and proprietary versions of bar codes in use. The Talyst preferred spelling and usage is:

4. Bar Code Character
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   Bar Code Character

   A single group of bars and spaces that represent an individual number, letter, punctuation mark, or other symbol.

5. Bar Code Density
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   Bar Code Density

   The number of data characters which can be represented in a linear unit of measure. Bar code density is often expressed in characters per inch (CPI).

6. Bar Code Label
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   Bar Code Label

   A label which carries a bar code symbol and is suitable to be affixed to an article.

1. Bar Code Medication Charting
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   Bar Code Medication Charting

   Bar code medication charting is an initiative that most hospitals are moving towards, and is often the main driver for adopting the AutoPharm suite of products. Bar code medication charting enables nurses to scan the patient wristband as well as the medication in order to ensure that the right medication is being administered to the right patient.

2. Bar Code Reader
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   Bar Code Reader

   A device used to read bar code symbols.

3. Bar Length
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   Bar Length

   The bar dimension perpendicular to the bar width. Also called Bar Height.

4. Bar Width
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   Bar Width

   The thickness of a bar measured from the edge closest to the symbol start character to the
trailing edge of the same bar.

5. Bar Width Reduction
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   Bar Width Reduction

   Reduction of the nominal bar width dimension on film masters or printing plates to compensate for systematic errors in some printing processes.

6. Barcode-to-Dose®
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   Barcode-to-Dose®

   A unique system for barcoding and labeling 100% of the medications used by a pharmacy, whether they are oral solids, ointments, inhalers, vials, or ampoules.

1. Barcoder
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   Barcoder

   A bar code printing device that allows the hospital to flag or tag items to make them scannable by the AIDC readers/scanners.

2. Base Line
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   Base Line

   A reference line used to specify the desired vertical position of characters printed on the same line.

3. Base Quantity
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   Base Quantity

   The number of individual items in a packaging unit (box, crate, etc) received from the wholesaler.

4. BCMP
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   BCMP

   Bar Code Medication Administration. The Veterans Health Administration's proprietary drug-dispensing system, BCMP is a bar-code-based system for tracking the delivery of patients' medication.

5. Beds
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   Beds

   The total number of beds determines hospital size.

6. Best of Breed
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   Best of Breed

   An application or process with deeper and richer functionality than its peer applications or processes.

1. Bi-Directional
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   Bi-Directional

   A bar code symbol capable of being read successfully independent of scanning direction

2. BMV
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   BMV

   Bedside Medication Verification. A system which provides health caregivers the ability to utilize bar code scanning technology prior to administering medications, to confirm patient identity and medication information.

3. BOM
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   BOM

   Bill of Materials. A list describing a product in terms of its assemblies, sub-assemblies, and basic parts.

4. BPOC
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   BPOC

   Bedside Point of Care. Laboratory and other services provided to patients at the bedside. These include diagnostic and laboratory testing using automated information entry systems.

5. Brand Name
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   Brand Name

   The name of the drug as assigned by the manufacturer and marketed under a proprietary, trademark-protected name.

6. Bulk
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   Bulk

   Bulk medication consists of an inventory item where the base quantity indicates the number of tablets within the container where the container unit quantity is 1.

C

1. Cabinet
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   Cabinet

   Unit-based, automated dispensing cabinets found in patient care areas. Also called a Unit-Based Cabinet.

2. Canister
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   Canister

   The plastic medication-holding containers in the AutoPack machine.

3. Cardinal Health
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   Cardinal Health

   One of the world’s leading providers of products and services to the healthcare industry. Talyst has established a strategic alliance agreement with Cardinal.

4. Care Plans
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   Care Plans

   A document required by federal regulations that must be prepared and updated daily by nurses which defines the specific actions required for the car of a patient.

5. Carousel
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   Carousel

   Rotating shelving units designed to house store, organize, and control access to pharmacy medication stock.

6. Cart fill
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   Cart fill

   A process by which medications are delivered to patients based on a pre-defined schedule (generally 24 hours) prior to the medication due time. Orders are filled in the pharmacy and carts with bins labeled with patient identifiers (patient ID, name, room and bed) are delivered to the assigned patient care areas. Carts are then exchanged at the next interval and any unused medications are returned to the pharmacy for process restocks and billing credits.

7. Case Mix
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   Case Mix

   A categorization of patient cases according to their expected profitability, similar to product mix in other businesses.

8. CDO
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   CDO

   Care Delivery Organization. A hospital or medical facility providing patient services.

9. CDR
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   CDR

   Clinical Data Repository. A real-time transaction processing database of patient clinical information for practitioners.

1. CDS
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   CDS

   Clinical Decision Support. A system linking health observations with health knowledge to influence health choices by clinicians for improved health care.

2. Central Pharmacy Automated Dispensing System
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   Central Pharmacy Automated Dispensing System

   Also known simply as "the System." This CPADS may consist of a variety of components designed to work together to automate pharmaceutical storage and distribution.

3. Charge Data
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   Charge Data

   Charge data shows the amount actually charged to patients and is determined according to a particular algorithm with constant multipliers unique to each drug. The charge amount = (number of units * cost * cost factor) + markup. Cost factor is a percentage multiplier assigned by the Pharmacy to each drug. Markup is the fee charged by the hospital for administering the drug.

4. Charge Upon Charting
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   Charge Upon Charting

   For hospitals that employ barcode medication charting, this features enables patients to be charged for a drug only when the medication is scanned at the bedside.

5. Check Digit, Check Character
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   Check Digit, Check Character

   A digit at the end of the data string in a bar code that is calculated based on the other characters in the data string. The check digit is a technical way of insuring against any possibility of misunderstanding by the scanner.

6. Clean Room
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   Clean Room

   A designated highly control environment which is sterile and has a highly reduced contamination risk factor such as a dust-free environment. Clean rooms are often used to prepare intravenous solutions and custom component orders.

7. Clinic, Clinical, Clinicals
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   Clinic, Clinical, Clinicals

   The departments of a hospital that provide patient care, such as nursing, radiology, and pharmacy. Often used to contrast the business operations of the medical facility.

8. Clinical Pathway
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   Clinical Pathway

   A treatment regime agreed upon by a consensus which includes all the elements of patient care (tests, x-rays, medications, etc)

9. Closed Door Pharmacy
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   Closed Door Pharmacy

   Centralized pharmacy that supplies multiple extended care facilities. Mostly packaging operations preparing monthly cart fills for patients in long term care facilities.

1. CMV
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   CMV

   Controlled Medical Vocabulary. An important component of shared information that ensures practitioners using EMRs are accessing accurate and comparable data. A CMV helps everyone stay on the same page.

2. Compendium
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   Compendium

   The master formulary database maintained by the PhIS.

3. Complex Order
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   Complex Order

   Complex orders are patient-specific, multi-line orders that call for a unit dose that is composed of several different dosage amounts or forms of the same medication. For example, a physician may prescribe 8mg of Warfarin for a patient, but this drug may not be sold in 8mg tablets. The Pharmacist therefore creates a complex order for 1 tablet 5mg and 1 tablet 3mg.

4. Composite Symbology
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   Composite Symbology

   Consists of a linear component, which encodes the item's primary data, and an adjacent 2D composite component, which encodes supplementary data to the linear component.

5. Compound Medication
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   Compound Medication

   A medication mixed for a specific patient and not available commercially. A compound medication must contain at least one legend drug that has been assigned a national drug code (NDC) number, and requires a physician’s order to dispense.

6. Compound Order
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   Compound Order

   Compound orders are patient-specific multi-line orders that call for two or more medications to be combined. They are often combined in unique quantities or different dosage forms than are available from the manufacturer. Examples of compounded drugs include special medications for patients with allergies to a particular additive, intravenous admixtures (IV), different dosage forms for patients such as infants and the elderly who cannot swallow oral solids, pediatric dosages, cocktails (i.e. as those given to cancer patients), nuclear compounds for organ imaging, drugs that are not available on the market but that are being used in clinical studies, and others.

7. Concurrent Review
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   Concurrent Review

   A process that allows management to review a patient’s accrued charges during the course of their treatment or hospital stay in an effort to provide quality care while keeping the charges within the limits of a DRG.

8. Consumables
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   Consumables

   Items such as medication, packaging materials, labels, and printer ink that are consumed in the course of system use.

9. Continuous IV and TPN
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   Continuous IV and TPN

   Intravenous medication or fluid that is given on a continuous basis. TPN, or Total Parenteral Nutrition, is the practice of feeding a person intravenously when their nutritional needs cannot be met or their system is unable to process nutrients normally.

1. Contract Price
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   Contract Price

   Price that should be paid for an item based on the GPO contract.

2. Controlled Substance
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   Controlled Substance

   General term used for a substance the DEA has determined requires control under the parameters of the Controlled Substance Act of 1970. These substances included narcotics, stimulants, depressants, hallucinogens, anabolic steroids. Once determination is made that a substance is to be controlled, it is placed into one of the 5 DEA Schedules. Special reporting, control and audit requirements must be satisfied in order to maintain a controlled substance inventory.

3. COWs
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   COWs

   Computers on Wheels; wireless laptop or micro computers on mobile carts that enable more robust information at the point-of-care. They are also referred to as mobile workstations, medical carts, bedside care devices, or WOWs (Workstations on Wheels).

4. CPOE
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   CPOE

   Computerized Prescriber Order Entry (aka Computerized Physician Order Entry) are systems and computer applications which support the electronic entry of prescribed orders rather than paper. Many system designs take advantage of decision support tools and integration with other clinical data. Many CPOE offerings intercept potential errors (drug interactions, overdose, allergies), increases patient safety, fosters communication, and can reduce cost.

5. Crash Kit
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   Crash Kit

   A set of drugs specialized for certain situations and patient care areas that can be used by physicians in emergency situations. Whenever a crash kit is opened, it must be returned to the pharmacy to be replenished and inspected.

6. Critical Low
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   Critical Low

   Condition where inventory for a particular medication in an ADU has fallen below the minimum level.

7. Crosswalk
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   Crosswalk

   The systematic process of changing a provider submitted value for a specific field to a value required by the system when they are not the same.

8. CSHP
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   CSHP

   California Society of Hospital Pharmacists.

D

1. Data Matrix
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   Data Matrix

   A multi-dimensional symbology that can be read bi-directionally and is able to encode high-density data in a relatively small space.

2. DEA
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   DEA

   Drug Enforcement Administration – a branch of the US Dept. of Justice which is responsible for the enforcement of the controlled substance laws of the United States. The DEA is also responsible for the classification of each drug which dictates is storage and use. The DEA also conducts the investigation of cases involving drug diversion.

3. Decoder
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   Decoder

   As part of a bar code reading system, the electronic package that receives the signals from the scanner, performs the algorithm to interpret the signals into meaningful data, and provides the interface to other devices.

1. Demographics
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   Demographics

   The background information typically taken during the patient admission process, including age, gender, address, and marital status. This data often has to be reentered into non-integrated systems in the hospital. Demographics is one of the primary categories of data to be exchanged in a standard format specified by the HL7, or Health Level 7 clinical data interface.

2. Dispensing Cabinet
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   Dispensing Cabinet

   Another term for Unit Based Cabinet.

3. Dispensing Manager
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   Dispensing Manager

   AutoPharm's Dispensing Manager screen shows medication quantity to be picked, pick type, quantity on hand, location code, and the name of the drug. When an order is processed in a zone, the next order in the Active Zone automatically appears on the Dispensing Manager screen.

1. Doorside
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   Doorside

   Next to or near patient room doors or entries.

2. DOP
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   DOP

   Director of Pharmacy. The person in charge of the Pharmacy.

3. Dose Form
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   Dose Form

   Represents the form in which the medication is available for administration. Common dose forms include tablet, capsule, etc.

1. DRG
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   DRG

   Diagnostic-Related Group. An allowance categorized by procedure used to determine payment to the hospital by Medicare/Medicaid. Hospital cases are classified into one of approximately 500 groups, based on the similarity of their expected hospital resource use.

2. Drug Diversion
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   Drug Diversion

   The abuse of manufactured pharmaceuticals and chemicals such as narcotics, depressants, stimulants, etc that fall under DEA control. Under federal law, all businesses which manufacture or distribute controlled drugs, all health professionals entitled to dispense, administer or prescribe them, and all pharmacies entitled to fill prescriptions must register with the DEA. Registrants must comply with a series of regulatory requirements relating to drug security, records accountability, and adherence to standards. Diversion cases involve, but are not limited to, physicians who sell prescriptions to drug dealers or abusers; pharmacists who falsify records and subsequently sell the drugs; employees who steal from inventory; executives who falsify orders to cover illicit sales; prescription forgers, and individuals who commit armed robbery of pharmacies and drug distributors.

3. Drug Shrinkage
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   Drug Shrinkage

   The loss of drug inventory due to stealing.

E

1. EHR
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   EHR

   Electronic Health Record. A record of patient health-related information from multiple sources, generally considered to be a subset of the EMR. The EHR enables stakeholders to efficiently share a patient’s medical information across various types of care. Stakeholders may include the patient, healthcare providers, employers, and/or payers/insurers.

2. Element
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   Element

   In a bar code symbol, a single bar or space.

1. EMAR, eMAR
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   EMAR, eMAR

   Electronic Medication Administration Record. An electronic record of medication given to a patient.

2. EMR
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   EMR

   Electronic Medical Record. The EMR is a legal record of treatment created in hospitals and ambulatory environments, and is used to document, monitor, and manage health care delivery.

1. Enteral
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   Enteral

   Refers to nutrition given via the alimentary tract.

2. ERP
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   ERP

   Enterprise Resource Planning software. Integrated enterprise software suite composed of many individual modules for various functions such as inventory management, finance, human resources, etc.

1. Extemporaneous Order
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   Extemporaneous Order

   An irregular dosage strength for an order such as 1/2 tablet. This is the terminology used by the PhIS.

F

1. Facility
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   Facility

   A satellite or affiliate pharmacy associated with a hospital.

2. Fast 50, Fast 100
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   Fast 50, Fast 100

   The medications most often used in a pharmacy.

3. FDA
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   FDA

   Food and Drug Administration, a branch of the US Dept. of Health and Human Services includes the responsibility for protecting the public health by assuring the safety, efficacy, and security of human drugs. The FDA is responsible for the approval and regulation of medications used for the treatment and prevention of disease.

1. First Dose
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   First Dose

   Term used for a medication order that is due prior to the order being assigned to a regular deliver schedule such as a cart-fill exchange.

2. First Load
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   First Load

   Condition where a new medication has been assigned to a location in an ADU, and needs initial inventory.

3. Five Rights, 5-Rs
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   Five Rights, 5-Rs

   A term used to describe the five basic checks when a medication is administered: Right patient, Right med, Right dose, Right route, and Right time.

1. Fixed Beam Scanner
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   Fixed Beam Scanner

   Either a visible light or laser scanner reading in a fixed plane. Requires a more exact positioning of bar code than with a moving beam scanner.

2. Floorstock
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   Floorstock

   A medication distribution method whereby medication supply stock is kept on the nursing units, in medication rooms or cabinets. Also applies to automated unit-based cabinets.

3. Formulary
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   Formulary

   The complete inventory of pharmaceuticals used at a hospital. Also could refer to a preferred list of drug products, typically limiting the number of drugs available within a therapeutic class for purposes of drug purchasing, dispensing and/or reimbursement. A government body, third-party insurer or health plan, or an institution may compile a formulary.

1. Foundation
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   Foundation

   A source of funds from donations that may be used for hospital projects. A foundation is typically associated with nonprofit institutions.

2. Fully-Supported
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   Fully-Supported

   All needed software and hardware upgrades, equipment training, maintenance, 24/7 support, online help, and online service.

G

1. Generic, Generic Name
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   Generic, Generic Name

   A copy of a brand name drug whose patent has expired. Before approving a generic drug product, FDA requires many rigorous tests and procedures to assure that the generic drug can be substituted for the brand name drug. The FDA bases evaluations of substitutability, or “therapeutic equivalence,” of generic drugs on scientific evaluations. By law, a generic drug product must contain the identical amounts of the same active ingredient(s) as the brand name product. Drug products evaluated as “therapeutically equivalent” can be expected to have equal effect and no difference when substituted for the brand name product.

1. GPO
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   GPO

   Group Purchasing Organization. A traditional purchasing plan designed to save money by using the purchasing power of a large group of businesses.

1. GS1 DataBar
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   GS1 DataBar

   A newer name for Reduced Space Symbology (RSS). It’s a family of linear symbols that includes GS1 DataBar, GS1 DataBar Limited, and GS1 DataBar Expanded. GS1DataBar and GS1 DataBar Limited.

1. GUI
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   GUI

   Graphic User Interface. A software interface designed to simplify the use of computer programs through the direct manipulation of graphic elements such as icons, windows, and menus.

H

1. Hardware Solution Component
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   Hardware Solution Component

   Hardware unit that can be provided to the customer as an inventory storage location. A complete AutoPharm solution can consist of one or more of these hardware components.

2. Helium Neon Laser
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   Helium Neon Laser

   A type of laser commonly used in bar code scanners. It emits coherent red light at a wavelength of 633 nanometers. Also called a He-Ne laser.

3. HIPAA
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   HIPAA

   The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act. Enacted in 1996, HIPAA ensures health insurance coverage for workers and their families who change or lose their jobs. It also requires the establishment of national standards for electronic health care transactions and national identifiers for providers, health insurance plans, and employers.

1. HIS
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   HIS

   Hospital Information System. The core applications, business systems, and integrated hospital-wide systems.

2. HL7
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   HL7

   Health Level 7. A volunteer, not-for-profit organization involved in development of international healthcare standards. HL7 is also used to refer to some of the specific standards created by the organization.

3. Hold screen
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   Hold screen

   Hold shows orders that can be reviewed and redirected before they are sent through the system.

1. Home Healthcare
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   Home Healthcare

   Patient care provided in their home to reduce cost to insurers and patients.

2. Hospital
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   Hospital

   An institution that provides medical, surgical, or psychiatric care and treatment for the sick or the injured. It may contain one or more pharmacies.

3. Housewide Picking
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   Housewide Picking

   In an integrated system, housewide picking refers to the ability to access medications from wherever they are stored. Zone picking is another option.

I

1. ICD9 Codes
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   ICD9 Codes

   Codes used by hospitals to correctly file Medicare and Medicaid claims with the federal government.

2. ICRS
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   ICRS

   Intelligent Canister Replenishment System. The Talyst brand name for ACRS II.

3. IDN
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   IDN

   Integrated Delivery Network. A network of hospitals that may be local, regional, or national.

4. Inline Packager
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   Inline Packager

   A large packaging machine for oral solids that pouches, seals and labels tablets or capsules individually in 2"x 1.5" pouches.

1. Inpatient
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   Inpatient

   A patient admitted to a hospital bed for services.

2. Integrated Systems
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   Integrated Systems

   Multiple applications that access and utilize a single, centralized database of information.

3. Intermittent IV
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   Intermittent IV

   Intravenous medication that is given on an intermittent basis, such as once a day or every six hours.

4. Inventory Address
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   Inventory Address

   The smallest, addressable unit of inventory storage. Usually represented physically as a slot in a bin.

1. Inventory Replenishment
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   Inventory Replenishment

   The process of replenishing inventory external to AutoPharm. ADUs and remote ordering locations are examples where inventory is maintained independently of AutoPharm.

2. Inventory Storage Device
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   Inventory Storage Device

   A storage device with addressable locations controlled by AutoPharm. Examples include AutoShelf, AutoPack, pick-to-location shelving, pick-to-light and pick-to-location refrigerator, and Carousel.

3. Inventory Storage Location
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   Inventory Storage Location

   A logical location where one or more pharmacy zones may exist. Some examples are the central pharmacy, staging areas within the central pharmacy, a pharmacy satellite such as OR or ER, and an auxiliary pharmacy.

4. Investigational Drug
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   Investigational Drug

   A special classification of drug which has not been approved for use in the United States by the FDA but does have a special application for use for certain drug studies and investigations.

1. IOM
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   IOM

   Institute of Medicine. A nonprofit organization specifically created for science-based advice on matters of biomedical science, medicine, and health as well as an honorific membership organization, the IOM was chartered in 1970 as a component of the National Academy of Sciences.

2. ISMP
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   ISMP

   Institute of Safe Medications Practices. A nonprofit organization devoted entirely to medication error prevention and safe medication use.

3. IV Room
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   IV Room

   The place where IV/Admixture preparations are delivered from the pharmacy. Also sometimes referred to as the “Med Room” or “Medication Room.”

J

1. JCAHO
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   JCAHO

   Joint Commissions on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations. The federal regulatory group that governs hospital operations.

2. Joined Order
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   Joined Order

   Joined orders are patient-specific, multi-line orders that call for two different medications that need to be administered together. There should be some indication on the unit dose packaging that these medications are to be administered together

1. Joint Commissions
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   Joint Commissions

   Joint Commissions on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations, or JCAHO. The federal regulatory group that governs hospital operations.

2. Just-in-Case
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   Just-in-Case

   Doses that are stored in larger quantities, typically available days or weeks in advance of the actual need.

1. Just-in-Time
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   Just-in-Time

   Doses that are stored in very low quantities, typically available just minutes or hours before the actual need.

2. JV Medi
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   JV Medi

   The developer and manufacturer of the ATDPS Unit.

L

1. Lab
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   Lab

   General term for a laboratory or similar facility where tests are conducted to help physicians diagnose their patients.

1. Legend Drugs
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   Legend Drugs

   Drugs which are required by any federal or state law or regulation to be dispensed by prescription only or are restricted to use by practitioners only.

1. Linear Symbology
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   Linear Symbology

   All machine-readable identifiers that are read in a linear fashion, specifically bar codes. A bar code has linear redundancy so it can be more easily and accurately scanned, whether the scan is performed at the top or bottom of the bar code.

M

1. Machine-Readable Identifier
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   Machine-Readable Identifier

   Any encoded identifying mark that can be positively identified using a computerized reading device such as a scanner or imager. The most common machine-readable identifier is a barcode, but other types exist as well.

2. Managed Inventory
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   Managed Inventory

   Any items stored in locations where AutoPharm maintains perpetual inventory and manages re-stocking, picking, and returning,

3. Manufacturer Bulk Container
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   Manufacturer Bulk Container

   Manufacture-packaged unit containing multiple tablets, capsules, or large volume liquid medications.

4. Manufacturer Immediate Container
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   Manufacturer Immediate Container

   A generic term referring to a manufacturer package (blister pack, bottle, ampoule, etc) An immediate container may or may not exactly match the dose ordered by the prescriber.

5. Manufacturer Unit Dose
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   Manufacturer Unit Dose

   In oral solids, this refers to a single tablet or capsule packaged in a pouch or blister pack. In relation to liquids, the term refers to the smallest volume manufacturers packages. This term, while commonly used is inconsistent with the definition of "prescribed unit dose" and should be replaced with "manufacturer immediate package."

1. MAR
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   MAR

   Medication Administration Record. The report that serves as a legal record of the drugs administered to a patient at a facility by a nurse or other healthcare professional.

2. MBCPC
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   MBCPC

   Medical Bar Code Point of Care. An electronic system that allows for bar code scanning at the bedside to check the 5-Rs and typically generates an eMAR or interfaces to another eMAR system. The MBCOC system is part of the hospital’s Bar Coded Medication Process.

3. Med Room
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   Med Room

   The medication room in procedural areas, operating rooms, emergency rooms, and nursing patient care areas.

4. MedCOW
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   MedCOW

   Common term for a Computer on Wheels that features drawers for medications.

5. Medical Record
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   Medical Record

   A physical or electronic record of all patient care and related information.

1. Medication Cart
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   Medication Cart

   A mobile medication cart, often containing medication doses for 10 to 20 patients at a time, each assigned their own bin. The cart may also contain a small stock of controlled substances or other PRN medications.

2. Medication Cartfill
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   Medication Cartfill

   See "cartfill."

3. MedSelect
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   MedSelect

   The proprietary name for an automated Unit Based Cabinet.

4. MIC
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   MIC

   Mobile Intelligent Computer. Used when incorporating handheld or portable computer technology into the hospital information process.

5. Misbranding
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   Misbranding

   A reason given by the FDA for federal recall of a drug based on mislabeling or defective packaging from the manufacturer.

1. Monograph
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   Monograph

   A short description, summary of a medication, containing indications, dosage requirements, common side effects.

2. MPOC
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   MPOC

   Mobile Point of Care. Using devices such as wireless laptop and tablet PCs to extend the hospital information systems directly to the point of care. 

3. Multi-entity Hospital
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   Multi-entity Hospital

   A medical facility that has multiple facilities for specialized care, often dispersed geographically.

4. Multi-Hospital Organization
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   Multi-Hospital Organization

   An medical organization comprised of more than one hospital facility, sometimes sharing a common computer database.

5. Multidose Medication
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   Multidose Medication

   Dispensing size that is larger than a single dose, such that the package is used for multiple doses

N

1. NACDS
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   NACDS

   National Association of Chain Drug Stores. Founded in 1933, it represents the nation's leading retail chain pharmacies and suppliers, and works to provide the chain drug industry with a unified voice necessary for growth and success.

2. Narcotic
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   Narcotic

   General therapeutic classification of drugs used to alleviate pain and other conditions.

1. NCPA
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   NCPA

   National Community Pharmacists Association. Founded in 1898 as the National Association of Retail Druggists (NARD), represents the pharmacist owners, managers, and employees more than 24,000 independent community pharmacies across the United States.

2. NDC
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   NDC

   National Drug Code. Each medication listed under Section 510 of the U.S. Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act is assigned a unique 10-digit, 3-segment number. This number, known as the National Drug Code (NDC), identifies the labeler or vendor, product, and trade package size.

1. Nurse Server
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   Nurse Server

   A secure, patient-specific container that is mounted on the wall with a fold-down workspace. It is designed to hold medications and supplies needed by a specific patient.

2. Nursing Station
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   Nursing Station

   The area on a Nursing Unit where medical staff handles paperwork, phone calls, and patient management tasks.

1. Nursing Unit
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   Nursing Unit

   A hospital patient care area staffed by nurses. Also referred to as the Nursing Floor.

O

1. ODBC
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   ODBC

   Open Database Connectivity. ODBC provides a standard software API method for using database management systems. It was designed to be independent of programming languages, database systems and operating systems.

2. OLD
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   OLD

   OSPAC Lift Device. The device used in order to stack and assemble the JV Medi ATDPS unit.

3. OMN
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   OMN

   Non-stock requisition order message in HL7 applications.

1. Order
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   Order

   General term for written, verbal, or electronically transmitted order from an authorized practitioner for the preparation and administration of a medication.

2. Order Entry/ Results Reporting
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   Order Entry/ Results Reporting

   An application that communicates orders from nursing stations to the clinical departments, and reports the results from the departments back to the nursing stations. A primary module in any patient care system.

3. Order Sets
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   Order Sets

   Combinations of the five order types, whose orders may or may not have changed throughout the cycle of treatment.

1. OSPAC
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   OSPAC

   Oral Solid Packager. The trademark for the bar code packaging solution offered by Talyst utilizing the JV Medi ATDPS solution that pre-packages medications into unit-dose form.. Now called the AutoPack.

2. OTC
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   OTC

   Over the Counter. Defined by the FDA as drugs which are as safe and effective for use by the general public without a doctor's prescription.

3. Outpatient
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   Outpatient

   A patient who only comes to a hospital or doctor for diagnosis and/or therapy and then leaves again.

P

1. Package Code
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   Package Code

   Code used to identify various forms of dosage packaging. Examples include unit dose, liquids, syringes, bulk, etc.

2. PADE
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   PADE

   Preventable Adverse Drug Event. According to an AHRQ study, computerizing medication order entry has the potential to prevent an estimated 84 percent of dose, frequency, and route errors.

3. Parenteral
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   Parenteral

   Refers to medications and fluids that are administered via injection or drip line.

4. PAS
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   PAS

   Patient Accounting System. A system that collects patient charges form each department, bills the payor, and collects receivables.

5. PBM
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   PBM

   A third party administrator of prescription drug programs. They are primarily responsible for processing and paying prescription drug claims. They also are responsible for developing and maintaining the formulary, contracting with pharmacies, and negotiating discounts and rebates with drug manufacturers.

1. Perpetual Inventory
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   Perpetual Inventory

   Keeping book inventory continuously in agreement with stock on hand. In some cases, book inventory and stock on hand may be reconciled as often as after each transaction. This process is useful in keeping track of actual availability of goods and determining what the correct time to reorder from suppliers might be.

2. Pharmacy
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   Pharmacy

   Location where medications are stored, inventoried, and dispensed. These locations are always attended by at least one pharmacist. Medication orders from the PhIS are routed through pharmacies.

3. PharmD
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   PharmD

   Doctor of Pharmacy. A professional education program and resultant degree designation known as a Doctor of Pharmacy. Requirements include 6 years of coursework and usually some type of internship and residency.

4. PhIS, PHIS
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   PhIS, PHIS

   Pharmacy Information System. A complex computer system designed to meet the specialized needs of a pharmacy, including monitoring administered drugs to prevent adverse drug interactions.

5. Pick-to-Light
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   Pick-to-Light

   Picking or storing medication using electronic tags or lights to identify the correct storage locations.

1. Pick-to-Location
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   Pick-to-Location

   The ability to establish any location as a managed storage site, enabling medication and non-medication to be tracked without the cost of electronic components.

2. Piggyback Order
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   Piggyback Order

   A small dosage, intermittently administered parenteral medication.

3. PIS
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   PIS

   See PhIS.

4. POA
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   POA

   Point of Administration. A system that verifies patient identification, informs what to do with the meds, and documents what was done.

5. PrePack screen
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   PrePack screen

   The PrePack screen allows users to manage AutoPharm medications that have been prepackaged by AutoPack (i.e. stock for ‘A’ locations).

1. Prescription
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   Prescription

   An order for medication which is dispensed to or for an ultimate user. A prescription is not an order for medication which is dispensed for immediate administration to the ultimate user (e.g., an order to dispense a drug to an inpatient for immediate administration in a hospital is not a prescription.). To be valid, a prescription for a controlled substance must be issued for a legitimate medical purpose by a practitioner acting in the usual course of sound professional practice.

2. Procar
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   Procar

   This is software module that keeps track of medications for patients who come into the hospital unconscious and unidentified. Once the patient is identified, his or her record is sent to the main MEDSTATION database. The Pyxis plans Procar server is also gateway between a hospital’s main patient database and a data warehouse that provides online analytical processing.

3. Prospective Payment
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   Prospective Payment

   A federal government cost-control plan that provides for a predetermined payment known by the hospital in advance of performing the patient care required. Procedures are categorized.

4. Put-away
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   Put-away

   The act of putting inventory items into storage locations.

5. Pyxis
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   Pyxis

   A division of Cardinal Health (since 1996) which provides products to provide automation, improves quality of care, and cuts costs for healthcare organizations.

Q

1. QOH
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   QOH

   Quantity-On-Hand. The physical quantity of product in inventory.

R

1. Radiology
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   Radiology

   Radiology is a medical specialty focusing on diagnostic imaging. Also known as the X-ray Department.

2. Reduced Space Symbology, RSS
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   Reduced Space Symbology, RSS

   Also now called GS1 DataBar. A specific family of linear symbology that is able to achieve greater data density in smaller identifiers. There are seven versions of RSS.

1. Registration/Re-registration
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   Registration/Re-registration

   The collection and retention of patient information during the admission process.

2. Returns
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   Returns

   Drugs that have been returned from the nursing floor because they have not been administered to patients. These are usually patient-specific drugs.

1. RIS
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   RIS

   Radiology Information Systems. Used by radiology departments to store, manipulate and distribute patient radiological data and imagery.

2. Route of Administration Code
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   Route of Administration Code

   Code to identify the manner in which medication is to be administered to patients. Examples include IM (intramuscular), PO (oral), PB (Piggyback)

1. RPh
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   RPh

   Registered Pharmacist. Professional designation for an individual who is licensed in pharmacy practice. General requirements include graduation from an accredited pharmacy program or equivalent and the successful passing grade of a written examination administered by the state’s Board of Pharmacy.

2. Rx
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   Rx

   The modern symbol for a pharmacy or pharmacy department. It is said to have started as an abbreviation for the Latin word recipe, meaning "take".

S

1. Satellite Location
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   Satellite Location

   Point of care locations that may not be attended by a pharmacist and through which orders are not routed via the PhIS. Some examples of satellite locations include ICU, OR, ER, Pediatrics, and Oncology. These may or may not be managed by AutoPharm.

2. Satellite Pharmacy
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   Satellite Pharmacy

   Secondary pharmacies within the same hospital as the central pharmacy.

3. Scan Code
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   Scan Code

   An alternate term for the series of characters representing data stored within a machine-readable symbology.

4. Self-Pay
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   Self-Pay

   Patients that do not have insurance. Hospitals often require these patients to post credit cards or advance payments before admission.

1. SIG, SIG Code, sig
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   SIG, SIG Code, sig

   Code which defines the dosing interval for a medication usually expressed in frequency, increments, and administration times.

2. SKU
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   SKU

   Stock Keeping Unit. A number associated with a particular product, often represented by a barcode.

3. Space
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   Space

   The lighter element of a bar code usually formed by the background between bars.

4. Space Width
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   Space Width

   The thickness of a space measured from the edge closest to the symbol start character to the trailing edge of the same space.

1. STAT, STAT Order
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   STAT, STAT Order

   Derived from the Latin word statim, meaning "hold fast" or "stop." A stat order requires everything to be put on hold EXCEPT the medication, test, procedure, or intervention that needs to be done IMMEDIATELY. This is a top-priority rush order. Pharmacies process stat orders differently from first doses and cartfill, being given the highest priority. There is no relationship between a Stat Order and a STAT (Short-term Assessment and Treatment) Unit.

2. Stockout, Stock out
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   Stockout, Stock out

   Condition where inventory for a particular medication in an ADU has reached zero. The Talyst preferred spelling is stockout.

3. STS
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   STS

   Special Tablet System. A sliding tray feature which is part of the JV Medi Units. It is used to package tablets such as fractional doses (half tablets), special shape tablets and infrequently used medications not stored in canisters. This tray allows a user to package up to 60 individual medications.

4. Super user
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   Super user

   The on-site system administrator trained in and responsible for managing the AutoPharm system for their organization. Super users also have responsibility for training pharmacy staff at their site.

1. Symbology
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   Symbology

   Any system of symbols used to represent data, specifically in reference to machine-readable printed symbols used in an automated system. Linear symbologies, such as bar codes, are optimized to be read by a laser scanner.

T

1. Therapeutic Equivalent
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   Therapeutic Equivalent

   A therapeutic equivalent is a drug that is rated "A" or "B" by the USP (United States Pharmacopeia).  An "AB" rating implies that the chemistry of the drugs are identical and considered inter-changeable or therapeutically equivalent. Not every generic equivalent is a therapeutic equivalent.

1. Total Base Quantity
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   Total Base Quantity

   Total number of individual items received from the wholesaler. 
Total Base Quantity = Unit Quantity * Base Quantity

U

1. UDD
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   UDD

   Unit Dose Distribution. The unit dose system of medication distribution is a pharmacy-coordinated method of dispensing and controlling medications in organized health-care settings.

2. Unit
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   Unit

   The packaging container type received from the wholesaler. Some examples are boxes, cartons, or crates.