Can We Harmonize Medication Management Across Europe?
Medications can cure or kill. According to WHO, the global cost associated with medication errors is 42 billion US dollars. Three European specialists from the Netherlands, UK and Belgium recently started a European project Asclepius, which advocated for the standardization of medication management across Europe and introduction of closed-loop medication management systems.
Medication Errors can happen at the point of prescribing, transcribing from one system to the other, or administration, when the wrong patient is given either the wrong drug or wrong dose. Medication administration errors can be prevented with the introduction of closed loop medication management, where all points of medication handling are connected and done electronically, even medication administration is done with the help of barcode scanning of the patient barcode and medication barcode.
Patrick van Oirschot, Patrick Koch and Francine de Stoppelaar connected with colleagues from UK, France, Iceland, Belgium, Norway, Netherlands, Sweden to strive for alignment on medication management on the European level. The project called Asclepius has three working groups, each defining key steps for medication handling improvement, through:
Workflow Harmonization: This working group focuses on standardizing and harmonizing workflows and processes across hospital pharmacies.
KPI Definition and Measurement: This subgroup, defining and measuring key performance indicators to assess the impact of closed loop medication management processes.
Return on Investment Analysis: This subgroup aims to monetize the benefits of closed loop medication management, providing data to support investment decisions and spread best practices across European countries.
Tune in to the full discussion:
Show notes:
[00:01:00] Medication administration errors can be prevented with the introduction of closed-loop medication management, where all points of medication handling are connected electronically.
[00:02:00] Introduction of three European specialists from the Netherlands, UK, and Belgium who started a European project advocating for the standardization of hospital medication management through closed-loop systems.
Guest Introductions:
[00:04:00] Patrick van Oswalt ("Pat"), a veteran in hospital pharmacy with a focus on digitalization and closed-loop medication management strategies.
[00:05:00] Francine de Stoppelaer, a clinical pharmacist with a 25-year career in healthcare leadership, notably involved in building and operating the Cleveland Clinic London.
[00:06:00] Patrick, with a background in medical imaging and pharmacy automation, emphasizes the need for digital transformation in hospital pharmacies.
Challenges and Solutions:
[00:08:00] Discussion on medication safety across Europe, highlighting the significant number of medication errors and associated costs. Specific examples include 19,000 deaths per year in Germany due to medication errors.
[00:10:00] Explanation of closed-loop medication management and barcode scanning at the bedside to ensure the right medication reaches the right patient.
[00:12:00] The importance of workforce efficiency and sustainability in implementing these systems.
[00:14:00] Different approaches to medication management in various countries, focusing on the importance of digital and automated processes.
Implementation Strategies:
[00:16:00] Discussion on where hospitals should start when considering digital transformation for medication safety, highlighting the importance of electronic prescribing and bedside scanning.
[00:18:00] The experience of implementing a fully digital hospital at Cleveland Clinic London, including workforce planning and gaining buy-in from healthcare professionals.
Project Overview:
[00:20:00] Introduction to the Asclepius project and its goals to harmonize medication management workflows across Europe.
[00:22:00] Highlighting the need for standardization in medication databases and the varying approaches to medication management across different countries.
Impact and Future Directions:
[00:24:00] The potential impact of digital and automated medication management on patient safety, efficiency, and sustainability.
[00:26:00] Encouraging adoption of best practices and the importance of measuring and monetizing the benefits of closed-loop systems.
[00:28:00] Challenges in convincing decision-makers and ensuring effective implementation amidst existing workloads.