Pharmacy technician wins award for labeling innovation

SUDBURY, Ont. – Avalon Lupini (pictured), a pharmacy technician at Health Sciences North, says she used to spend too much time handwriting expiry labels for medications that would often fall off, smudge and become illegible. She decided to invent a better solution that is now generating attention and praise while keeping patients safer.

Her invention, SmartyPrints, is a system that prints quality, smudge-proof expiry labels that actually stick to medications, reducing the risk of medication errors.

Health Sciences North now houses SmartyPrints in two of its pharmacies where it is used to label about 3,000 products each week. One machine is located in the OR satellite pharmacy and the other is in the main department pharmacy.

The Pharmacy Practice + Business Awards has recognized Lupini, who has won its Technician Initiation Award for 2024.

The awards recognize Canadian pharmacists providing exceptional patient care and demonstrating creativity and innovation in pharmacy practice.

Pharmacy Practice + Business and its web portal, CanadianHealthcareNetwork.ca, are Canada’s leading independent journal and website serving pharmacist’s news, clinical, practice and business information needs.

The judges called SmartyPrints “an incredible technology invention to promote patient safety in hospitals” that streamlines care and reduces waste.

Lupini said she’d love to see her invention widely adopted in both retail and hospital pharmacy settings, where it can make a significant impact on patient safety, resource management and time savings.

Her nominator noted that SmartyPrints has “transformed our departmental practices, saving valuable time during the day, and has contributed to (Health Science North‘s) organizational strategic plan of being patient-focused … by ensuring that all medication is labelled appropriately, and eliminating questions regarding medication stability.”

SmartyPrints is a printer system that prints quality expiry labels for medications, using a simple user-friendly interface that requires no additional training. It is a tabletop device that automates and simplifies the pharmacy labelling process and requires no additional training.

With an intuitive touchscreen interface, pharmacy technicians can swiftly select label formats and expiration dates, significantly reducing the likelihood of errors. The device requires no technical support or network integration, making it accessible for hospitals of all sizes.

Lupini worked with her husband, Dean, a software developer with Key Logic Software Solutions in Sudbury, to design and build a prototype for SmartyPrints, a smart printer designed specifically for pharmacies.

“My vision for the future is to see the growth and success of SmartyPrints technology,” Lupini told The Canadian HealthCare Network. “I’d love to see it widely adopted in both retail and hospital pharmacy settings, where it can make a significant impact on patient safety, resource management, and time savings.

“Beyond that, I’m excited about the potential for this platform to expand and address other challenges in healthcare settings, helping to streamline operations and improve overall efficiency. My dream is to see SmartyPrints play a transformative role in healthcare, contributing to better outcomes for patients and professionals alike.”

Lupini also told The Canadian HealthCare Network she is passionate about her work as a pharmacy technician and improving healthcare. “The opportunity to develop technology that enhances patient outcomes is especially fulfilling for me, as it allows me to contribute directly to bettering people’s lives and advancing the field,” she said.