A new process for ordering “pass” medications in the electronic health record (EHR) will help care teams collaborate and plan for hospital patients and long-term care residents who take planned leaves from Island Health facilities.
Pass medications was one of several focus topics at the Nanaimo Regional General Hospital (NRGH) edition of the IHealth World Café, which took place in the open space near Code Brew, amidst the festive decorations adorning the hallway. (See the Virtual World Café web page for the resources on display at the NRGH and South Island world café events.)
“The World Café was a great opportunity to learn about some recent and upcoming changes in the EHR,” said Michelle Alvarez, a Clinical Nurse Educator at Dufferin Place Long Term Care (LTC) who attended the one-day event at NRG on December 13.
“One of the things I learned about is the new “pass meds” order entry process that will help us meet our accreditation and medication safety requirements for dispensing medications when a resident or patient goes on a pass,” said Alvarez.
The new, enhanced electronic pass medications process will roll out in 2024, said Alison Verral, a Senior Specialist in Clinical Informatics who was on hand throughout the day to share information, provide demos and answer questions on pass medications. Staff will receive more information as the launch date approaches.
Amanda Gagne, a Pharmacy Technician in the NRGH Emergency department, also stopped by the World Café to see what useful details she could take away.
Care Planning a highlight of the World Café
“It was useful to learn about care planning for patients, and how to retrieve this information in the EHR,” she said. “It has been a bother to have to go to the binder for patients in Emergency to find their care plan.”
Yan Lan, a Pharmacy Technician who works in the ED alongside her colleague Amanda, said she also appreciated the updates on care planning and pass medications.
“The pass medication information very much pertains to Pharmacy and practice in the dispensary,” she said. “We’re hopeful the new ordering process will ease the process for the team.”
Other stations focused on medication safety, care planning, Best Possible Medication History (BPMH), changes to practice and electronic workflow related to the Mental Health Act, and the upcoming introduction of Controlled Prescription Printing.
Ashley Johnston, a CNE from Dufferin Place LTC, was another of the local staff who attended the World Café.
“I was not aware of the changes coming to pass medications, mental health form documentation, or the changes for prescribers,” she said. “As a CNE, I was able to educate myself and share the information with my team.”
Recognition to NRGH for leading the way with EHR
The event was also an opportunity to thank Nanaimo colleagues for “paying it forward” as experienced users of the EHR since the acute care site went live in 2016. Karen Morrissette, Social Worker at NRGH, was the winner of the World Café draw prize – a Yeti mug, book and chocolates.
In anticipation of the rollout of computerized provider order entry (CPOE) in the South Island this coming spring, the purpose of the event was to highlight key regional practice changes that improve the patient journey and care team experience, and provide staff who work at NRGH and other sites nearby with an opportunity to meet with subject matter experts from Professional Practice, Medication Safety, Clinical Informatics, Provider Education and Experience (ProEX) and the IHealth team.
Staff who were unable to attend can visit the Virtual World Café web page to view resources and information shared at the live events.
