Pharmacy technician – the panacea to poor infusor management in Hospital in the Home (Poster).

Abstract

Background: Elastomeric devices are a convenient method of administration of parenteral therapy outside the hospital environment, freeing up inpatient beds. Prior to the involvement of a dedicated pharmacy technician as part of the Hospital in the Home (HITH) program, ordering was paper-based, time consuming, involved multiple steps and people. The lack of a streamlined process led to missed orders, wasted time and resources. Description: A full time technician role was implemented and became an integral part of the HITH pharmacy team. The technician created an easily accessible online order tracking system that allowed all staff to view what had been ordered and for whom in real time. Action: A live excel spreadsheet on teams was created which allowed multiple caregivers to gain access to the database concurrently, ensuring that all those involved in patient care are aware of infusor availability and order status. Evaluation: The new electronic ordering system has reduced the number of steps and people involved in the ordering process and has led to more prompt delivery of infusors for patients. Prior to the technician ordering infusors, a minimum of five staff members were involved in placing the order, which has now been reduced to one. Reducing the number of people involved has lowered the chances of orders being missed and of mistakes being made, ultimately improving patient safety. Implications: The innovative method has decreased the time required and increased the efficiency of infusor ordering. This method also ensures that patients are able to receive their infusors on time, ensuring prompt administration of the medication. A dedicated pharmacy technician with responsibility for managing the ordering of infusors and ensuring all staff are aware of the process, with the ability to access status updates in real-time, has reduced frustration and increased efficiency.