Transforming Medication Management at Priory with Ashtons e-Works EPMA System

5 September, 2024

Background:

Founded in 1980, Priory has established itself as a leading provider of mental health services in the United Kingdom and has garnered a reputation for delivering high-quality care and support to its patients, making significant contributions to the field of mental healthcare.

Operating a network of 290 facilities across the UK, encompassing hospitals, clinics, and specialist care homes, Priory focuses on delivering personalised treatment plans tailored to individual needs across a diverse patient population of over 2,600 inpatients including adults, adolescents, and older adults, across a wide spectrum of mental health disorders.

With approximately 98% of its patients referred by the NHS, Priory plays a vital role in the UK’s mental healthcare system, providing specialist treatments to individuals experiencing a wide range of mental health challenges. The Priory’s dedication to patient safety, quality of care, and positive treatment outcomes underscores its commitment to improving the lives of those affected by mental illness.

Challenges faced by Priory:

Managing medication safety and effectively is a significant challenge for all healthcare providers. Priory identified that the process of using handwritten paper prescription charts to record the prescribing and administration of medication for inpatients could be improved by using an electronic prescribing and medication administration (EPMA) system.

In response to these challenges, Priory sought a solution that would reduce the risk of errors when prescribing, improve the process of administering medication correctly, enhance clinical reporting, integrate with existing electronic care records, and improve operational efficiency.

An overview of Ashtons e-Works EPMA system

Ashtons is a premier provider of bespoke digital-first medicines management solutions, with the visionary goal of providing digital solutions to revolutionise healthcare delivery.

Ashtons e-Works Electronic Prescribing and Medicines Administration (EPMA) system provides a comprehensive suite of features designed to transform medication management and enhance patient safety in healthcare settings.

Ashtons e-Works incorporates clinical decision support tools to provide healthcare professionals with confidence during the prescribing process, for example regarding drug doses, potential adverse drug interactions and contraindications. This helps mitigate medication errors and promotes improved treatment, optimising patient care.

These significant improvements in prescribing and administration cannot be replicated by using paper prescription charts and the opportunity to utilise digital clinical data in real time facilitates continuous improvements in medicine optimisation.

Priory’s Decision to Move to e-Works:

Priory made the strategic decision to transition from a paper-based medication management system to a streamlined electronic one based on the drive towards paperless healthcare by the Department of Health. This was underpinned by their commitment to patient safety and a desire for data-driven insights. Priory’s confidence in Ashtons due to their long-standing partnership made choosing e-Works an easy decision.

Adrian Cree, Chief Medical Officer of Priory notes, “Implementing Ashtons e-Works was a strategic decision driven by our commitment to patient safety and our desire for data-driven insights. We chose e-Works for its robust functionality, seamless integration, and proven track record of enhancing medication management practices. Ashtons’ longstanding partnership with Priory instilled confidence in their ability to deliver a tailored solution that would meet our specific needs and drive positive outcomes for our patients.”

Implementation:

The decision to implement e-Works was reinforced by a successful trial at one Priory site, which resulted in significant improvements to medication management. The implementation process was meticulously planned and executed, with comprehensive e-learning modules and a carefully phased rollout strategy. Despite initial apprehensions, the transition to e-Works was met with enthusiasm by Priory’s teams, with any teething issues promptly addressed by Ashtons’ dedicated support team.

The wider implementation of e-Works across the Priory was a significant challenge that Ashtons rose to and successfully delivered, as noted by Stephen Tuddenham, CEO of Ashtons, “Over the past 12 months, Priory’s adoption of e-Works has contributed to an impressive period of growth for the system. The success of this remarkable roll-out, covering 53 Priory sites, is a testament to our collective resolve and unwavering dedication to delivering innovative digital-first medicines management solutions for our clients, which was a key factor in the Priory’s decision to adopt e-Works across their organisation”.

Benefits:

The implementation of e-Works at Priory has helped deliver excellent results related to medication management practices and patient safety outcomes. This was initially seen at the trial site, but these results are now also starting to be delivered across the organisation.

Specifically, the trial revealed significant reductions in error rates across key metrics, providing compelling evidence of e-Works’ efficacy in enhancing medication safety. Patient Detail Errors were slashed by an impressive 87%. Prescription errors were reduced by a notable 85%. Moreover, administration errors, a persistent challenge in healthcare settings, saw a remarkable decrease of 93%. As noted by Adrian Cree, “The implementation of e-Works at Priory has been nothing short of transformative. The trial demonstrated a remarkable reduction in medication errors, paving the way for enhanced patient safety and operational efficiency.”

The remarkable success achieved during the trial serves as a testament to the transformative impact of e-Works on medication management practices. By extrapolating these error rate reductions to the broader Priory, the implementation of e-Works could potentially lead to a 90% reduction in errors across the entire organisation.

The improvements e-Works will deliver across the Priory are already evident following the roll-out at further sites, with the previous rate of administration errors, ranging from 1.6% to 1.8%, significantly dropping to a mere 0.03%. This substantial reduction, amounting to 98.3%, represents a noteworthy achievement that is poised to yield tangible enhancements in patient safety.

Martin England, Chief Pharmacist of Ashtons, underlines the importance of such a significant drop in medication errors, “Seeing such a significant drop in medication errors across the Priory hospitals following the implementation of e-Works, is a profound testament to its transformative impact and validates our belief that e-Works is key to delivering better patient outcomes. The remarkable outcomes achieved so far underscore our commitment to delivering cutting-edge solutions that positively impact patient care.”

The successful completion of the Ashtons e-Works installation across 53 Priory sites in February 2024 stands as a remarkable milestone, underscoring its profound impact on them. This groundbreaking project, achieved in under 14 months from the pilot site to full rollout, reflects the efficiency and dedication invested in its seamless execution.

Value and Savings:

While it’s too early to quantify the full extent of the financial and operational savings, Priory acknowledges the significant potential for future benefits. The transition to e-Works streamlines reporting processes, enabling faster and more accurate data analysis. Improved usage tracking ensures better resource allocation and inventory management, contributing to enhanced operational efficiency and cost-effectiveness.

Without e-Works, Priory would be forced to revert to time-consuming and more error-prone paper-based systems, severely impacting operational efficiency and potentially compromising patient safety. The implementation of e-Works not only addresses current challenges but also lays foundations for long term efficiencies and enhanced patient outcomes.

As noted by Adrian Cree, “As e-Works continues to establish itself within our operations, we foresee even greater benefits, including streamlined reporting processes and improved resource allocation. This lays the groundwork for long-term savings and enhanced healthcare delivery.”

Next Steps and Recommendations:

Looking ahead, Priory anticipates further advancements in EPMA and mental health pharmacy, with a focus on enhancing system functionality and expanding the scope of services offered.

Recommendations for improvement include the introduction of a comprehensive stock management module within e-Works, further streamlining medication procurement and inventory management processes.

Closing Comments:

Adrian Cree notes, “I extend my deepest gratitude to Ashtons for their unwavering support and dedication throughout the implementation of e-Works. Their partnership has been instrumental in advancing our commitment to patient safety and efficient medication management.”

The seamless execution of the integration underscores the strength of the partnership between Priory and Ashtons, reaffirming e-Works’ pivotal role in advancing patient safety and efficient medication management across Priory’s extensive network. Ashtons’ responsiveness and dedication to addressing Priory’s unique needs have solidified their position as a trusted partner in the ongoing pursuit of excellence in mental healthcare delivery.

Stephen Tuddenham, CEO of Ashtons, feels e-Works is helping to build an increasingly positive future, “Ashtons e-Works stands as a testament to our dedication to innovation and the unique approach we bring to digital solutions. Its unparalleled functionality not only digitises medication management but also embodies our vision for a future where technology seamlessly enhances care delivery.

The benefits of Ashtons e-Works for Priory are profound and multifaceted. By transitioning Priory to a digital prescribing and administration platform, we are not only bolstering accuracy and minimising errors in medicines management but also fostering seamless communication and collaboration between Priory staff and our own Visting Pharmacists. This translates to enhanced patient care, improved outcomes, and a more streamlined healthcare delivery ecosystem.

We’re thrilled by the transformative impact e-Works is already delivering, and we eagerly anticipate the continued evolution of our partnership with Priory. Together, we are paving the way towards a safer, more connected healthcare ecosystem, where patient well-being remains at the forefront of everything we do.”

Find out more: Ashtons Software Solutions – Improving quality and compliance in medicines management