Patient flow is one of the most universal health care challenges faced in a health system. Nepean Blue Mountains Local Health District is very passionate in trying to address ways to improve flow while maintaining the highest level of care for our patients.
UberMeds project team, Jeanne Paula De Leon, Carmel Zucak, Kirsten Tsang and Kushma KC, who all graduated with a Graduate Certificate (Healthcare Redesign) as part of the project.
The inpatient medication supply process takes approximately four hours from the time the nurse requests the medication until the pharmacist signs it off for delivery. Feedback from the surgical division at the Hospital identifies this as a cause that leads to nursing staff spending more time performing non-clinical tasks.
A project team at Nepean Hospital brought this to the Agency of Clinical Innovation as a redesign project called ‘UberMeds’. The project’s goal is to enhance service delivery of inpatient medications to the E block surgical service at the Hospital by November 2024, and as a result improve patient flow and treatment.
Through extensive research and collaboration, the project team implemented several strategies to optimise the medication supply process, including:
Implementing designated medication collection shelves and delivery baskets to reduce waste and improve efficiency.
Regular reviews of ward-specific medication needs to ensure appropriate supplies.
Providing antimicrobial cards that help facilitate timely approvals for medication orders, reducing delays.
Granting drug locator access to nursing staff with medication rights to better navigate drugs from another area, reduce medical administration and wait times.
Impressively this has already resulted in improved staff experience. Once evaluated in November 2024, the aim is to apply lessons learnt and roll out the initiative throughout all wards at Nepean.
Congratulations to project team, Carmel Zucak, Kushma KC, Jeanne Paula De Leon and Kirsten Tsang who all graduated with a Graduate Certificate (Healthcare Redesign) as part of the project.
On 1 November, we celebrated our Blue Mountains Hospital and Springwood Hospital medical and medical imaging staff at the 2024 Together Blue Mountains Awards.
A comprehensive data analysis led by Professor Ralph Nanan has revealed the connection between pregnancy and the development of allergies in early childhood.
With an impressive 30 years of nursing experience, Acting Director of Nursing and Midwifery, Danell Thompson has dedicated her career to providing exceptional health care to the Lithgow community.
