The implementation of MEDITECH Expanse in May 2021 means that new workflows will be introduced across departments within all partner organizations. In order to plan and accommodate for this standardization the CARE4 Non-Medical Device Committee, which consists of ITS, pharmacy, lab and professional practice staff, are working across all four sites to validate existing non-medical device hardware and identify any potential gaps.
The introduction of MEDITECH Expanse means that staff will now be able to use devices at the patient’s bedside. This will allow clinicians to complete Bedside Medication Verification (BMV or closed loop medication administration) and to complete accurate patient identification for lab procedures. These devices will allow instant access to patient information such as medication dosage, specimen collection, safety alerts and more. These non-medical devices will allow front-line staff to provide safe, effective care by eliminating the potential for dosage and administrative errors and allow for real time medication documentation at the bedside.
We had over 300 staff from across the four sites demo a total of 8 devices between October 28 and November 2 during the Non-Medical Device Fair. Staff were asked to evaluate the ease of use for each device, how comfortable each device was to hold and how easily scanners could read barcodes on a variety of labels. While each device will integrate with MEDITECH Expanse software, they all have their own specific benefits and drawbacks when it comes to hardware and functionality.
The Non-Medical Device Committee is in the process of compiling staff feedback, along with the Committee’s evaluation, in order to make recommendations to each site for procurement. A complete list of non-medical devices that were demoed during the Device Fairs, including a list of their pros and cons is listed on the Events page, along with a comments section for those who were not able to attend the live event.
Special thanks to Stephanie Anspach, Meredith Whitehead, Jessica Dolan, Roxanne Beauchamp, Josh Kenney, Henry Molenhuis and Suzanne Wicks, Site Leads and the rest of the Non-Medical Device Committee for making this engagement a huge success. Thank you to our valued partners for providing the opportunity for the team to visit each site, both with leaders and front line staff.
