A successful pilot for FileTek UK’s Meditech electronic prescribing (EP) system at the Countess of Chester Hospital, Cheshire, has opened the way for a full 12 -18 month roll-out of the system starting in early 2004.
FileTek says that the system provides total integration between pharmacy stock system and the other patient-based Meditech modules, as well as the finance and accounting sub-systems. FileTek also supplies EP systems to Burton Hospitals Trust, Staffordshire, the Liverpool Women’s Hospital Trust and City Hospitals Trust, Sunderland.
Phil Davies, head of IM&T at the Countess of Chester Hospital Trust commented: "Electronic prescribing continues our roll-out of order entry modules that have pushed us further along the path to a paperless and centralised patient record. Our future developments and continued roll-out should deliver large safety and efficiency gains around the important and complex area of medication prescribing, administration and supply."
Pharmacy and electronic prescribing manager, Robert Forde, a qualified pharmacist who has led the project at the Countess of Chester Hospital, said: "Two and a half years of design, development and negotiation have finally paid off. We now have a fully integrated prescribing, administration and supply system for drugs that obviates drug detail transcription for all professionals involved in managing medications for a patient’s stay. Anaesthetists, consultants, junior doctors, ward nurses, theatre nurses, pharmacy staff and dieticians – all use the same central electronic record with huge benefits for risk reduction and process efficiency."