New computerised medicines system is installed at Charing Cross Hospital
The Charing Cross Hospital site of the Hammersmith Hospitals NHS Trust is the first European hospital to pilot ServeRx, a computerised system for the management of medicines from the point of prescribing to administration.
 
Doctors prescribe electronically and information is transferred
to computerised drug cupboards |
The system, developed by MDG Medical, has been in operation on a
general surgery ward since June and consists of computerised cupboards,
a drug
trolley and workstations connected to a central server.
On the ward, doctors use handheld touch screen computers to prescribe
or change patients’ medication. At the end of the ward round this
information is down-loaded to the pharmacy for screening and supply.
Medication is stored on the wards in drawers in a computerised medication
cabinet which also has the capacity to store refrigerated items and Controlled
Drugs.
A computerised drug trolley containing individual drawers displaying
each patient’s
name on a liquid crystal screen is docked to the workstation. Nursing staff select
the patient and drug required, and then only the cupboard drawer stocking that
drug opens, allowing the nurse to put the drug in the patient’s trolley
drawer ready for the drug round. Patients’ wrist bands are barcoded and
when one of these is scanned the patient’s drawer opens on the trolley,
and the drug can be administered. Data on administration are recorded by the
nurse and the system is updated at the end of the round.
Sarah Trust, ward pharmacist at Charing Cross, told The Journal that she still
spends the same amount of time on her ward, but she believes she is doing a more
effective job. She said: “ServeRx has given me more time to spend with
the patients and has focused my skills more.”
Dr Bryony Dean Franklin, principal pharmacist for clinical services, is evaluating
the project to see whether potential reductions in errors are seen in practice.
Application of automation in pharmacy is currently a hot topic. It was discussed recently in Scotland (see p590) and was the subject of a conference held in London
this week after The Journal went to press. |
