Successful HEPMA pilot paves the way for GGC-wide rollout
Hospital Electronic Prescribing and Medicines Administration (HEPMA) is a new digital system that will replace the paper drug chart (Kardex) for inpatient areas across NHSGGC. Doctors and other prescribers will use HEPMA to prescribe medicines for inpatients. Nurses will use HEPMA to carry out drug rounds and record the administration of medicines to patients.
The system is now live in five pilot wards: QEUH wards 7A, 7B, 7C, 7D and ARU1. Nurses and doctors found the system easy to use and got to grips with it quickly. Immediate benefits include legibility, clinical decision support and streamlined drug administration rounds. As of 10th February 2021, 10,000 prescriptions and 60,000 administrations had been carried out on the HEPMA system.
The success of the pilot was possible due to the engagement and enthusiasm of the clinical teams, working closely with the HEPMA Team to ensure that users received the support they needed to get the most out of HEPMA.
The HEPMA Programme Board has agreed that the first three large sites to go live will be QEUH, GRI and RAH. Rollout is targeted to begin in March/April 2021 and will include 330 wards and 115 theatre areas. Rollout will take around 18 months to complete.
Clinical staff will be required to complete a concise eLearning package on LearnPro in order to be given access to the HEPMA system. The HEPMA Facilitator Team will provide support and supplemental training to staff “on the floor” in clinical areas as the rollout progresses.
The HEPMA Team will communicate with each site before and during rollout. If you have questions or suggestions in the meantime please contact the team: nhsggc.hepma@ggc.scot.nhs.uk.
Published: 26/02/21 Medicines Update blogs are correct at the time of publication