As “pharmaceutical collaboration” deepens against the backdrop of a super-aging society,the role of community pharmacists has shifted from traditional dispensing and medication counseling to a focus on patient follow-up.While the focus is increasingly on the interpersonal aspects of a pharmacist\u2019s work\u2014such as improving the quality of community healthcare and individualized drug therapy\u2014there is also an urgent need to streamline tasks involving physical operations, such as picking and multi-dose packaging.
\r\n\r\nAt \u201cAeon Pharmacy Itabashi\u201d (Itabashi Branch, Tokyo), which fills a wide range of prescriptions from pediatric clinics to various departments in general hospitals, the pharmacy is actively introducing dispensing equipment to ensure safe and reliable dispensing.
\r\n\r\nThis report details a case study in which the pharmacy introduced Yuyama Manufacturing\u2019s \u201cLitrea-i<\/a>,\u201d a fully automatic tablet packaging machine equipped with a verification support function, to further streamline its operational tasks.
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\r\nShifting toward patient-focused care while addressing the needs of multi-dose packaging.<\/h2>\r\n
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<\/p>\r\n <\/p>\r\n\r\n <\/p>\r\n <\/p>\r\n\r\n <\/p>\r\n <\/p>\r\n (From the DRUG magazine)<\/p>\r\n <\/p>\r\n <\/p>\r\n Information as of October 2025<\/p>\r\n <\/p>","protected":false},"featured_media":4212,"template":"","product_category":[33],"langage":[31],"shop_category":[41],"class_list":["post-4211","user-report","type-user-report","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","product_category-auto_packet","langage-eng","shop_category-insurance-pharmacy"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.yuyama.co.jp\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/user-report\/4211","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.yuyama.co.jp\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/user-report"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.yuyama.co.jp\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/user-report"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.yuyama.co.jp\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/4212"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.yuyama.co.jp\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4211"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"product_category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.yuyama.co.jp\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/product_category?post=4211"},{"taxonomy":"langage","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.yuyama.co.jp\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/langage?post=4211"},{"taxonomy":"shop_category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.yuyama.co.jp\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/shop_category?post=4211"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
\u201cAeon Pharmacy Itabashi\u201d is located within \u201cAeon Style Itabashi,\u201d approximately a 3-minute walk from Tobu Nerima Station on the Tobu Tojo Line. Focusing primarily on pediatric, ophthalmology, and dental clinics within the shopping center (SC), the pharmacy receives an average of over 5,000 prescriptions per month from a wide catchment area, including nearby long-term care hospitals, university-affiliated hospitals, and clinics.
\r\n\r\n\u201cAeon Pharmacy,\u201d operated by Aeon Retail (Chiba City, Chiba Prefecture), operates approximately 280 stores in Aeon-affiliated shopping centers nationwide, with its year-round, 365-day operation being a key strength.Furthermore, leveraging the shopping centers\u2019 ability to attract customers, the pharmacy actively engages in community-based integrated care through health events and home visits, providing comprehensive services.
\r\n\r\n\u201cWe previously use a standard dispensing machine, but as the number of elderly patients requiring multi-dose packaging for various kinds of medications increased, our existing machine could no longer keep up, so we introduced a model specialized for multi-dose packaging,\u201d says Keigo Takahashi, the managing pharmacist.Taking advantage of the store renovation last October, they introduced the \u201cLitrea-i,\u201d establishing a system to improve efficiency and shift focus to patient-focused care without increasing the number of pharmacists.This model is equipped with exactly the necessary specifications and is contributing significantly to the efficiency of the multi-dose packaging process.
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\r\nFlexible cassette structure and high-precision verification support functions.<\/h2>\r\n
\u201cLitrea-i\u201d is an all-in-one tablet packaging machine that integrates two cameras (one above and one below) with a cassette mechanism, featuring proprietary \u201cVariable Cassettes (VC)\u201d and \u201cUniversal Cassettes (UC).\u201dPreviously, the cassette could not be used for another medication when the medication changed; however, the VC allows for easy specification changes using a control terminal and an automatic calibration unit.The \u201cUC\u201d features a dispensing exit that adjusts according to the shape of the medication, allowing for flexible adaptation to changes in the medication being used.
\r\n\r\nFurthermore, the machine is equipped with a \u201ccassette lid-lock function\u201d that is enable customer to opens upon verification of a GS1 code. Mr. Takahashi praises this feature, stating, \u201cIt prevents incorrect loading during medication filling, leading to further improvements in safety.\u201d
\r\n\r\nWith \u201cLitrea-i,\u201d dispensed medications are collected in a dedicated tray and simultaneously photographed from both the top and bottom using dual cameras prior to packaging.Photographing the medications directly before packaging ensures accurate identification of the medication information. The advantage of the dual-camera system is that it can reliably distinguish between medications even when the printing or design differs on the front and back.
\r\n\r\nThe included image inspection support software, \u201cJSD-i,\u201d analyzes the characteristics of the packaged medications and displays them in a single row, sorted by medication.Medications identified as errors are color-coded on the display as \u201cNG\u201d or \u201cUnidentified.\u201d If repackaging is required, the specified package can be easily repackaged with a simple touch on the screen.\u201cBy clearly displaying the drug name and captured image side by side, anyone can perform inspections accurately and quickly,\u201d says Mr. Takahashi.
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\r\nThe Peace of Mind That Image Assistance Brings to \u201cError-Prone\u201d Tasks.<\/h2>\r\n
Mr. Takahashi said, \u201cDispensing errors in multi-dose packaging are absolutely unacceptable, the ability to verify them using clear images has reduced the mental strain.\u201dHe also highly praised the system\u2019s usability, \u201cIt\u2019s intuitive and easy to use; I was able to master it immediately without any special training.\u201d\r\n\r\nPreviously, pharmacists visually inspected packaged medications one by one, but they have now transitioned to a system that uses a display for image verification.The time saved by introducing \u201cLitrea-i\u201d is being utilized for patient-focused cares\u2014such as medication follow-up and home visits\u2014allowing pharmacists to further put their professional expertise into practice.<\/p>\r\n