What is it?
Phacet Compound Server is an open source project under development in which we aim to provide a server capable of accepting compounding orders from electronic prescription systems and dedicated websites. The server will support the ensuing compounding, dispensing and delivery processes.
How does it work?
It will be possible to connect an existing computerized prescribing system to Phacet Compound Server and start negotiating about a preparation to be compounded and dispensed. The server will interpret the request and return a proposal that may have been modified according to pharmaceutical requirements as well as scheduling constraints. Then, the user of the prescribing system can accept the proposal or submit a new request and assess the new proposal. Thus, the prescriber can benefit from various appropriate levels of freedom without the risk of placing an order that lacks feasibility and, therefore, needs modification at a later stage (“what you prescribe is what you get”).
This approach requires relatively few adaptations of existing prescribing systems.
Phacet Compound Server will provide a user interface to support the compounding, dispensing and delivery processes. It will also provide an interface to robots that perform compounding tasks.
Why would you need this functionality as open source software?
The concepts underlying Phacet Compound Server will undergo further development over the next few years, hopefully with your help! Current software vendors cannot be expected to engage in a development process that may change course considerably because of new pharmaceutical insights . An open source project is particularly suited to a development path with a certain trial-and-error character.
A second factor is the need for software that has been developed according to standards of Good Automation Manufacturing Practice (GAMP). By isolating the business logic of the manufacturing process in a single server, only this server will have to fulfill the stringent requirements of GAMP. Making the source code publicly available will prevent commercial software vendors from investing in a development project with very high quality standards but an uncertain return (or from becoming locked in by another vendor). The open source approach will save money and concentrate scarce resources on one clearly focused project.
The third argument is one of trust. At the end of the day, pharmacists, not software packages, are responsible for the quality of pharmaceutical care delivered and preparations dispensed. Software that supports the compounding of drugs is very complex and therefore error-prone. If the source code is in the public domain, it will be subject to wide professional scrutiny. This greatly diminishes the risk of coding errors resulting in patient harm and pharmacists being prosecuted.
How can you benefit from it?
Phacet Compound Server will be based on the business logic developed for Phacet Oncology Desktop. Therefore, a sound basis has already been established. However, we need your support in convincing vendors of existing prescribing systems to endorse this open source approach and to adapt their systems to use the functionality of Phacet Compound Server. This should make this kind of functionality widely available within a couple of years.