Calvary Introduces Electronic Medication Management
Client:
Little Company of Mary Health Care, CalvaryChallenge:
- To replace current paper based medication management processes with electronic medication management for greater safety, reliability and efficiency
Solution:
- The MedChart electronic medication management system provides electronic prescribing, pharmacy review and administration for in-patient wards
Results:
- Chart illegibility issues were eliminated and the palliative care service recorded an 84% reduction in medication errors
- Calvary plans to implement MedChart at all acute care facilities
Calvary Health Care Bethlehem Hospital (Bethlehem) in Victoria is a 60-bed public hospital that specialises in the care of patients with progressive neurological disorders and those requiring palliative care.
Challenge
Calvary wanted to replace paper-based processes with electronic medication management to see improvements in clinical safety.
Solution
In 2014, they introduced MedChart at Clare Holland House, a specialist palliative care inpatient unit in Canberra. While Bethlehem had been a ‘test run’ for MedChart, Clare Holland House was intended to provide a model for future implementations.
MedChart was implemented to provide electronic prescribing, pharmacy review and administration across all inpatient units. The solution includes pre-defined orders and protocols to improve safety and efficiency when prescribing. All phases of medication management are supported by real-time clinical decision support and customisable rules and alerts.
Result
“The first couple of days were a little hard,” says one nurse. “But I really like it now. It’s great that I no longer have to decipher the doctor’s handwriting on a medication chart.”
Implementation took just three months – an impressively brief time, given the revolutionary impact eMMS can have in a clinical setting.
Staff members at Clare Holland House have been impressed with the potential for improved patient safety.
“MedChart provides a complete solution, and once you know how to use it, various problems caused by paper systems are completely eliminated,” says one nurse. “There are no problems with reading prescriptions and no confusion as to the patient’s medical history. By saving time previously spent finding this information, we can devote more of it to what really matters – sitting with our patients, discussing their concerns, and ensuring that they receive a warm, supportive and informative bedside visit.”
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