FIGURE 3
Timeline of implemented wards
100 % they are placed . An analysis of orders placed at ward level reveals that 58 % of orders are placed electronically and can now be available for processing first-thing when the pharmacy opens . This compares favourably to previous porter drop offs at 10am and 2pm at one site , or other sites that rely on ward staff to journey to the department ( Table 1 ).
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|
|
|
|
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CONCLUSIONS
The COVID-19 pandemic has provided opportunities to improve processes and explore novel ways of working . Developing a customised process for CD ordering in the immediate response to this crisis allowed for benefits to be realised in a timely , staged and safe manner . While this new functionality addresses the time delay to pharmacy receiving orders for processing , a change in pharmacy workflow and how these requests are managed must be considered to allow benefits to be maximised . At present , issuing paperwork is still used by the pharmacy department and CD registers do not sit on an electronic platform . Further work and refinement in processes should be considered to make the process of ordering and register keeping fully paperless .
This method of improvement could be considered by other hospital areas who share similar technology . The process is a shared-learning example of enabling team working and innovation during crisis-response .
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|
75 %
50 %
25 %
0 %
|
Mar 2020
Apr 2020
May 2020
Jun 2020
Jul 2020
Aug 2020
Sep 2020
Oct 2020
Nov 2020
Concept , design and training commenced All ICU and red wards implemented 95 % all areas implemented
Jan 2021
|
Feb 2021 |
Mar 2021 |
Apr 2021 |
May 2021 |
|
FIGURE 4
Controlled orders placed by type over time
CD orders issued ( n ) |
1000
800
600
400
|
Electronic orders |
Paper orders |
|
200 |
|
|
0 Jan 2020
Feb 2020 Mar 2020 Apr 2020 May 2020 Jun 2020 Jul 2020 Aug 2020 Sep 2020 Oct 2020 Date of issue ( month )
TABLE 1
Portering collection times for book-based CD order delivery vs electronic ordering
Site Book collection Electronical ordering
Teaching hospital 1
Teaching hospital 2
Community hospital site 1
Community hospital site 2
Twice daily Monday – Friday Saturday – 10am Sunday – no collection
Twice daily Monday – Friday Saturday – 10am Sunday – no collection
Daily 11am
Daily 12 noon
Immediately available to pharmacy for processing
Further reading
• Budd J et al . Digital technologies in the public-health response to COVID-19 . Nat Med 2020 ; 26:1183 – 92 .
• Burbidge I . How to create real , lasting change after Covid-19 . The RSA [ online ]. 29 April 2020 . www . thersa . org / blog / 2020 / 04 / changecovid19-response ( accessed January 2022 ).
• Oerther S , Oerther D . Leading change during the convergence of an epidemic and a pandemic . J Adv Nurs 2020 ; 76 ( 12 ): 3215 – 17 .
• Patel R . How we introduced electronic prescribing during the COVID-19 pandemic . Pharm J 2022 ; 308 ( 7957 ): 308 ( 7957 ).
• The RSA . Future Change Framework . A toolkit to shape and realise change . London , United Kingdom : The RSA . www . thersa . org / globalassets / living-change / rsa-future-change-toolkit . pdf ( accessed January 2022 ).
Community hospital site 3
Daily 11am
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