OBJECTIVE： To optimize the drug storage position management in automatic dispensing machine， and improve the dispensing efficiency. METHODS： The orbital utilization rate of drugs in automatic dispensing machine was calculated， the optimum value of orbital utilization rate was set up to adjust the drug varieties and numbers of storage tracks for continually optimizing the storage position management. Dispensing rates of automatic dispensing machines and real-time dispensing windows with fully automated deployment before （Mar.-Jun. 2016） and after （Jul.-Oct. 2016） optimization were statistically analyzed and compared. RESULTS： The optimum value of orbital utilization rate was set up as 67％. Drugs more than the value were increased the numbers of storage tracks， while drugs less than the value was decreased the numbers of storage tracks or removed out of dispensing machines. From Mar. to Oct. 2016， 2 dispensing machines in our hospital adjusted 75 varieties and 127 orbits in total， storage numbers was increased by 158 boxes. Compared with before optimization （Mar.）， dispensing rate of automatic dispensing machines was increased from 73.7％ to 81.3％ after optimization （Oct.）， dispensing rate of real-time dispensing window was increased from 39.8％ to 51.8％ （P＜0.05）. CONCLUSIONS： Applying the orbital utilization rate algorithm for adjusting drug variety and track number in machine can effectively and continually optimize the drug storage position， increase the storage capacity in machine， make full use of automatic equipments and improve the dispensing efficiency.