IDEA Services reduces medication errors with electronic charting

NEWS - eHealthNews.nz editor Rebecca McBeth

Community provider IDEA Services has improved client safety after implementing an electronic charting system that has reduced medication errors by 30 percent.

The organisation provides care and support for those with intellectual disabilities in their own communities.

Imalka Kannangara, clinical coordinator and pharmacist at IDEA Services, says they have transitioned from working on paper medication charts to an electronic charting system called Toniq 1CHART, and have seen a reduction in medication errors by 30 per cent in the first year.

Electronic charts were previously only used in Aged Residential Care settings and the national roll-out was completed in July of this year.

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"All prescribers (including diabetic nurses, GPs and psychiatrists) now have access to the same chart in real time from anywhere around the country so they can see what has been charted and administered," says Kannangara.

"This has created greater communication between prescribers, ensures charts are always up to date, and allows for more holistic care."

She adds that prescribers using 1Chart to obtain administration information have helped in the appropriate ongoing prescribing of medication.

"This successful transition to electronic charts has made IDEA Services the first community-based service to achieve such a task across New Zealand," says Kannangara.

"Prior to rollout, software adjustments were made to ensure the system would fit a community-based setting and these adjustments ensured that the implemented system was fit for purpose. Ongoing changes were made throughout the rollout process as we constantly evaluated functionality."

Kannangara says the implementation has had a significant impact on the people being supported at IDEA Services.

"The transition has increased the ease with which our staff are now able to administer and record medicine administration. This in turn has allowed more time to do other things to enrich the lives of those in our care," she says.

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