Baycrest

R obotic technology, automated pill packaging, barcode scanners and sophisticated software programs are components of a high-tech system for medication management being introduced at Baycrest Hospital as part of continuous improvement efforts around patient care and safety. This futuristic-sounding initiative, spearheaded by Pharmacy Services, was launched to prevent the risk of medication errors and adverse drug events and to ensure all patients in the hospital receive the right drug at the right dose at the right time. "It is part of a plan to create a pharmacy that is as innovative and advanced as any in the world. Not only are we enhancing the patient experience at Baycrest, we are also building our capacity to support research through clinical drug trials that could have an impact on care worldwide," explains Scott Ovenden, Vice-President of Clinical Programs & Corporate Performance. "Investing in technology also supports our efforts to be efficient and cost-effective." Leading the new initiative was Samantha Yau's first task when she joined Baycrest in September 2016 as Manager & Professional Practice Chief of Pharmacy Services. "The first phase was completed in August 2018 in record time thanks to the remarkable teamwork of staff from Pharmacy, Nursing, Redevelopment, IT and eHealth, among others," she says. The focus for phase one of this journey was to replace old equipment and many manual procedures, and to introduce best practices to meet new standards set by the Ontario College of Pharmacists. "Our goal is to achieve a closed loop medication management system which allows us to electronically track a patient's medication from the time it is ordered online by a physician to the time it is administered to the patient at the bedside," Yau explains. Step one was purchasing an automatic tablet packager – a high-speed machine that puts medications into single, patient-specific barcoded packages. Next came a state-of-the-art BoxPicker – an automated storage and retrieval system, which eliminated picking errors and created a safer, more efficient pharmacy workflow. Medications are scanned going in and out of the 20-foot-long unit that resembles a white, semi-trailer without wheels. Pharmacy technicians use two computer terminals to process and verify orders. A robotic arm inside the unit deposits or retrieves medications from drawers that can be opened from the outside. Baycrest is the first post-acute hospital in Ontario to have this technology, according to Yau. The project will culminate with the implementation of an electronic medication administration record and barcode scanners that will let nurses match medications to barcoded bracelets worn by each patient, reducing the chance of medication errors and the associated risk of harm. Pharmacy innovations enhancing patient care and safety 11 Samantha Yau, Manager & Professional Practice Chief of Pharmacy Services "...technology supports our efforts to be efficient and cost-effective."

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