Dispensing accuracy remains one of the most important measures of quality in any pharmacy. Even with well-trained staff and established procedures, visually similar medications and the pace of a busy dispensing counter can cause errors. Eyecon's latest release addresses this problem.
Earlier this month, Eyecon formally launched Optical Pill Verification (OPV), a new feature of the Eyecon 9430™ pill counting system. OPV adds a layer of visual analysis to the dispensing workflow, automatically examining each pill for size, shape, color, and printed markings in real time. As a result, pharmacists can identify potential dispensing errors before a prescription is even packaged.
"Patient safety is at the center of everything we do. OPV gives pharmacies a smarter, faster way to verify every fill with confidence," said William Tuft, Product Manager at Eyecon. "This isn't a replacement for the pharmacist's judgment. It's a tool that supports it."
How OPV Works
OPV is built into the Eyecon 9430's existing count process, requiring no additional steps in the standard workflow. As pills are dispensed, the system checks for variations in size, shape, and color, scans printed markings to confirm medication identity. The sytem also detects pills remaining in the funnel that could mix into a subsequent fill. When a discrepancy is found, staff receive a visual alert in real time for immediate review.
The feature is particularly valuable in cases that are difficult to catch by eye. "What makes OPV especially powerful is its ability to distinguish even pills that look nearly identical in size," Tuft noted. "That's exactly the kind of scenario where errors can slip through undetected, and where OPV adds real value." Return-to-stock dispensing, in which visually similar pills from different medications may be handled in close proximity, is one such example.
"We designed OPV to fit into a pharmacy's existing ecosystem and support the process the pharmacy already has without adding complexity."
— Will Tuft, Eyecon Product Manager
Documentation and Control
Each fill generates a color image record stored directly in the pharmacy management system, creating a clear audit trail. Override capabilities can be configured to a pharmacy's requirements, allowing staff to manage exceptions while maintaining full visibility into override activity.
OPV extends beyond standard size-and-shape detection by incorporating color analysis and imprint recognition, and it is compatible with more than 30 pharmacy management systems. "We designed OPV to fit into a pharmacy's existing ecosystem and support the process the pharmacy already has without adding complexity," Tuft said. "Activation takes minutes, and from that point forward every count becomes an intelligent verification process."
How to Get OPV
OPV is available now as a subscription add-on for all Eyecon 9430 units, which include the required color camera hardware. Pharmacies can activate the feature through the Eyecon Portal at eyeconvpc.com or by contacting the sales team at (866) 260-6540.
For pharmacies seeking to strengthen dispensing accuracy without disrupting established workflows, OPV offers an additional, automated point of verification at the moment it matters most.
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