Maasstad Hospital will use a medication safety system to perform a second check of medications for patients. The first medication check is done by the nurse, after which the medication safety system MedEye checks whether the correct medication is being given to the right patient. An innovative way to increase medication safety in the hospital.
Normally the second check for high risk medication is performed by two nurses and minimize the risk of errors. In Maasstad Hospital, the second check of the medicines is now automated with MedEye, saving time and improving accuracy. The system uses smart computer vision technology, barcodes and a verification rules mechanism to carefully and efficiently verify medicines at the bedside. MedEye digitally checks whether the right medicines are being given to the right patient at the right time.
Successful pilot
In the spring of 2020, Maasstad Hospital started a pilot with the MedEye system in two nursing units. Few days later, the first Covid-19 wave hit the hospital but that did not impact the schedule. The help MedEye provided in performing second check and ensure safe medication administration was a strong motivator for the nursing staff to continue the pilot during those difficult times. "MedEye supports us and makes it easier to carry out the correct checks for high risk medication, including parenteral medication such as IVs and syringes," says nurse Imelda van Houwelingen.
In addition, the MedEye user interface supports nurses to keep an overview and to easily handle the registration for all types of medication. The administration of "high risk" medication becomes easier and more efficient for nurses, because they no longer need a colleague for the second check.
Investing in medication safety
After this successful pilot, the system is now being rolled out hospital-wide for all medication. “This is a great innovation that improves the quality of care and reduces the registration burden for our nurses, which is why we are enthusiastic about this development,” said Peter Langenbach, chairman of the board of Maasstad Hospital.