Transforming Palliative Care with Ashtons e-Works: A Comprehensive EPMA Solution
In the often-challenging environment of palliative care, the ability to efficiently manage medications and prescriptions is paramount.
Ashtons e-Works is a unique electronic prescription and medicines administration (EPMA) system that is suitable for use in a wide range of hospitals, hospices and clinics. However, specialist features within e-Works have also been developed, in conjunction with hospices, to ensure their specific needs are met.
Specialist Palliative Care Features
Hospices and other facilities providing palliative care have a unique set of requirements, due to the complex nature of the care they provide. Ashtons e-Works’ range of specialist palliative care features are designed to support various intricate aspects of medication management within palliative care.
- Syringe Driver Functionality: Supports the prescribing, administration, and monitoring of syringe drivers, ensuring quick confirmation of start and finish times, individual medicines prescribed, and the selected diluent.
- Transdermal Products: An active patch check administration system increases visibility of key information, preventing missed applications or removals.
- Dose Ranges and Variable Doses: Flexible prescribing features allow for complex regimens, titrations, and PRN doses, adapting to the clinical needs of each patient.
- Infusions: Full support for the prescribing and administration of infusions.
- Oxygen Prescribing: Purpose-built features for oxygen prescribing ensure precise and safe administration.
The Benefits of Ashtons e-Works
For Patients
The primary focus in palliative care is the well-being and comfort of patients. Ashtons e-Works significantly reduces medication errors, ensuring patients receive the correct medication at the right time. This not only enhances patient safety but also improves the overall quality of treatment and healthcare outcomes.
For Healthcare Providers
- Doctors: With remote access for prescribing 24/7, doctors can provide timely prescriptions after consultations with on-duty nurses. The system’s clinical decision support, better access to clinical information, and flexible prescribing options enhance the accuracy and effectiveness of prescribing.
- Nurses: The system transforms the way nurses manage medication administration, simplifying the process of identifying patients due for medication and recording details. This eliminates the need for manual searches through prescription charts, freeing up valuable time.
- Managers: Ashtons e-Works offers significant improvements in managerial oversight with extensive reporting tools. The system’s intuitive workflow requires minimal training, increasing efficiency and reducing paper usage.
- Regulators: The system provides a full audit trail of prescribing and administration records, supporting regulatory compliance. This comprehensive documentation leads to improvements in quality, safety, and compliance.
Real-World Impact
Since its launch, our Ashtons e-Works has been proven to reduce prescribing errors by up to 88% and medicines administration errors by up to 94%. These results led to the system winning the HTN Now Award for ‘Making an Impact’ due to the significant improvements it helps deliver to patient safety and clinical excellence, while also streamlining hospice operations.
Conclusion
At Ashtons, we understand the essential role that medicines play in symptom management and the importance of having the appropriate items in stock to respond promptly to patients’ requirements. We appreciate the need to tailor medicines to suit individual patients and can offer guidance and information to support prescribing decisions.
Ashtons e-Works is more than just an EPMA system; it is a comprehensive solution designed to meet the specific needs of hospices and other palliative care providers. By improving medication management, enhancing patient safety, and increasing operational efficiency, Ashtons e-Works stands as a pivotal tool in the delivery of high-quality palliative care.
Find out more
For more information on how Ashtons e-Works can transform your hospice’s prescribing and administration processes or to book a demonstration, please contact us or call us on 01273 224 604.