Maastricht University Medical Center

Open the correct medication bin
directly from the EHR!

Maastricht University Medical Center has recently started using the smart medication solution from Alphatron Medical Innovations known as MedSafe. ‘This solution optimizes the safety of medication and has simplified the work of my nurses,’ explains Head Nurse Robbert Nelissen. Together with colleagues Tino Bellemakers (Information Engineer), Sharon Pisters (Senior Nurse), and Ninee Drummen (Nurse), he explains more about the new secure and controlled medication dispensing system in Maastricht.

‘Our new medication dispensing system MedSafe electronically links every patient to their own medicine bin in the mobile care station,’ explains Tino Bellemakers enthusiastically. ‘The software ensures that the medication bin of only one specific patient gets opened. 

Open correct medication bin directly from EPR patient identification scanning

The bin opens automatically when the nurse scans the patient’s wrist band. The bin opening is controlled by the Medication Management System, which is in our hospital independent of the EHR. The medication management system is, however, integrated to the extent that it can take data from the EHR. That way, it is clear which patient goes with which bin. Overall, MedSafe makes administering medication safe and more controlled.’ He continues, ‘The safety of medication is very important to us as a hospital. And we’re not alone in thinking that. The safety of medication is something that the Netherlands Institute for Accreditation in Healthcare (NIAZ) also looks into in its quality label audits. This system helps to meet the requirements of medication safety.’

“Overall, MedSafe makes administering medication safe and more controlled​.”

Tino Bellemakers

Information Engineer, Maastricht University Medical Center

Significant added value for the safety of medication

‘And we’re certainly meeting those requirements,’ adds Ninee. She believes that MedSafe has significant added value when it comes to safety. ‘We first had a system that could not be locked and that did not have patient names linked to it. Handing out and storing medication were not particularly safe. All of the medication was just loose in a bin and you needed to work out what was what. It wasn’t easy, and the risk of mistakes was high. Plus, anyone who wanted to could take medication from the mobile care station if you turned your back for a moment. That’s something that every department wants to avoid, particularly those with trauma patients who might be addicted or delirious. That’s a thing of the past now. Everything is locked away, which means that the AMiS can just be left at the ward. This relieves nurses of the job of having to walk to the medication room all the time, since most of the medication is at hand. I’m really happy with this innovation.’

”Everything is locked away, which means that the AMiS can just be left at the ward. This relieves nurses of the job of having to walk to the medication room all the time, since most of the medication is at hand.”

Ninee Drummen

Nurse, Maastricht University Medical Center

Makes work easier

Something that is also true for Senior Nurse Sharon Pisters. ‘The introduction of the MedSafe medication solution has meant a big change for the whole team. It’s a different way of working. Scan the wrist band and the medication bin opens automatically. The team needed some time to familiarize themselves with it and get used to the new way of working. But now that we’ve had a couple of weeks, everyone is satisfied with the way it works.’ Sharon emphasizes the importance of changes, such as bed changes and patient discharges, being completed promptly. ‘Otherwise, the nurse will be standing beside the patient’s bed, scanning the wrist band, and the system will not know who the patient is. Proper administration is, therefore, essential! But, if you do that properly, it makes your work easier, and that’s not something I can necessarily say of every innovation!’

controlled medication dispensing system nurse mobile carestation cow

”It helps to save time, improve safety for patients, minimize risk, and makes the work more enjoyable! That’s nice!”

Robbert Nelissen

Head Nurse, Maastricht University Medical Center

Streamlines our work

Like Sharon, Head Nurse Robbert Nelissen is also satisfied with the solution. ‘The addition of the MedSafe medication solution to our mobile care station is a step towards a complete, uniform care station for nurses. You have your computer with you, you can access the EHR, call up a patient’s medication – it has streamlined our work considerably. And Ninee is right – the new system elevates the safety of medication and makes our work easier, provided that the care station, MedSafe, and Maastricht University Medical Center infrastructure are all properly coordinated. The risk of mistakes is getting smaller and smaller. There will only ever be one bin that opens, and unlike before, you no longer have to search for the right one. All in all, it’s a great boost to the quality and effectiveness of our care. It helps to save time, improve safety for patients, minimize risk, and makes the work more enjoyable! That’s nice!’

Innovation:

Opening patient-specific medication bin possible from every EHR!

Maastricht UMC+ is the first hospital in the world where nurses can open the patient-specific medication bin in the AMiS with just the press of a button in the EHR. The smart medication solution is fully integrated with the ViPharma medication system. It ensures the safety of medication and has improved nurses’ workflow considerably. MedSafe makes this workflow possible with Epic, Chipsoft HiX, and all other EHRsystems.

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