Pender Memorial Hospital has implemented two automated medication dispensing units that track the medicines patients are using in the hospital, officials announced Tuesday.

The Pyxis units, made by San Diego-based CareFusion, computerize the hospital’s drug storage and dispensing. The machines, which are accessible around the clock, track medicines through bar code scans. The system alerts health providers of potential drug and allergy interactions, according to a press release.

Nurses and pharmacy staffers log into the system by scanning their fingerprint to access patients’ medicines.

“Shifting from a manual system to a more computerized system is an upgrade in technology that will help improve patient care,” Ruth Glaser, president of Pender Memorial, said in a statement.
 
New Hanover Regional Medical Center, which is affiliated with Pender Memorial, also  has been using the Pyxis medicine dispensing stations.