Automated drug dispensing systems (ADDSs) are increasingly in demand in today's pharmacies, primarily driven by the growing ageing population. Recognizing the practical challenges faced by pharmacies implementing ADDSs, this study aims to optimize the layout design and sequencing issues within a human-machine cooperation environment to enhance the system throughput of ADDSs. Specifically, we develop models for drug retrieval sequencing under different system layout designs, taking into account the stochastic sorting time of pharmacists. The prescription order arrival pattern follows a successive arrival mode. To assess the efficiency of ADDSs with one input/output point and two input/output points, we propose dual command retrieval sequencing models that optimize the retrieval sequence of drugs in adjacent prescription orders. Notably, our models incorporate the stochastic sorting time of pharmacists to analyze its impact on ADDS performance. Through experimental comparisons of average picking times for prescription orders under various operational conditions, we demonstrate that a system layout design incorporating two input/output points significantly enhances the efficiency of prescription order fulfilment within a human-machine cooperation environment. Furthermore, our proposed retrieval sequencing method outperforms dynamic programming, greedy, and random strategies in terms of improving prescription order-picking efficiency. By addressing the layout design and sequencing challenges, our research contributes to the field of intelligent warehousing, particularly in smart pharmacies. The findings provide valuable insights for healthcare facilities and organizations seeking to optimize ADDS performance and enhance drug dispensing efficiency.

翻译：自动化药品分发系统（ADDS）在当今药房中的需求日益增长，主要源于人口老龄化趋势的加剧。针对药房实施ADDS所面临的实际挑战，本研究旨在优化人机协同环境下的布局设计与排序问题，以提升ADDS的系统吞吐量。具体而言，我们构建了不同系统布局设计下考虑药师随机分拣时间的取药排序模型，处方订单到达模式遵循连续到达方式。为评估含有一个输入/输出点和两个输入/输出点的ADDS效率，我们提出了双指令取药排序模型，优化相邻处方订单中药物的取药序列。值得注意的是，模型纳入了药师的随机分拣时间，以分析其对ADDS性能的影响。通过实验比较不同操作条件下处方订单的平均拣选时间，我们证明采用双输入/输出点的系统布局设计能显著提升人机协同环境下的处方订单履行效率。此外，所提出的取药排序方法在提升处方拣选效率方面优于动态规划、贪心算法和随机策略。通过解决布局设计与排序难题，本研究为智能仓储领域（特别是智慧药房）做出贡献。研究结果为致力于优化ADDS性能、提升药品分发效率的医疗机构和组织提供了重要参考。