TECHNOLOGY
vast amounts of it. If this data could be aggregated and accessed in real time, it could be presented in ways that significantly improve pharmacy operations. The next phase for healthcare is about gathering this data securely in the cloud so it is easily accessible and can be harnessed to support more informed and smarter decision-making across the entire healthcare system. The greater the area you capture data from, the more insight you gain. This can add incredible value, and is the driver behind Omnicell’s work with South East London Integrated Care System (ICS) for the development of a European technology- enabled inventory optimisation and intelligence service.
Partnership example The partnership between Omnicell and South East London ICS will build valuable learning and intelligence using artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning for reporting systems, live dashboarding and action planning. AI has the ability to analyse vast quantities of data from a range of systems in a way that humans can’t. Intelligence from this sophisticated analysis can then be used to optimise processes and ways of working. A key part of this work will be interoperability with EPIC, Cerner and AllScript – a move that will provide visibility and data insights to a level of detail that Trusts’ have never had before.
The three-year development project will see Omnicell develop analytics and reporting tools with a goal of improving patient safety, while achieving increased operational efficiency and cost efficiencies. The project is expected to be a showcase for the benefits of managing clinical supplies and medicine
spend together at scale, with a service model for the ICS which can be scaled up or down and adopted by other UK hospital groups. A technology-enabled intelligence centre, to be based at Guy’s & St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust, will deliver advanced analytics across all the ICS hospitals, providing total visibility. This cloud-based system, centred on intelligence, automation and technology-enabled services, will leverage AI tools to provide real time analytics support and system optimisation. The outcome will be to reduce the risk of dispensing errors, never events and ensure that all products are in at the right place at the right time. In addition, having a clear view of usage patterns will provide data to make more informed buying decisions which will in turn cut unnecessary and costly wastage. More simplistic data analytic tools will also soon be available to the market, including Omnicell’s new MedX solution which provides one clear view of pharmacy inventory, in real-time, across all hospital sites. This open system inventory management solution, with real time dashboards available direct to a mobile phone, provides hospitals with a full picture of stock levels within days of implementing the system.
Looking ahead But it doesn’t stop with data. Technology doesn’t stand still and if we look to the future, interoperable technology solutions, data and AI have the power to change the healthcare landscape beyond recognition. As we learn more from the data we collect, we will undoubtably gather valuable insights into what is the right solution, workflow and model at an individual ward level. For example, it doesn’t take an expert to work out that the medication needs on an Intensive Care Unit are different to the needs of an orthopaedic ward.
But what is the optimum solution for each of those wards, which model of interoperable technology is going to be most effective when it comes to achieving zero errors, zero waste and zero time-consuming process for staff? We are not only going to gain insights on what solution is the right one, we’ll also start to discover and identify gaps where challenges still exist – leaving the door open
JANUARY 2022
for industry experts to develop the right solutions to meet those challenges. The more data we capture the bigger
the opportunity becomes. The future must, therefore, be one of sharing, co-operation and transparency: between systems in terms of interoperability; between patients and healthcare providers; between healthcare providers and industry experts; and between different healthcare disciplines – driven by knowledge and supported by data. When we bring all of this together, we have the tools required to deal with the healthcare system’s ever-increasing complexities, and we can begin looking at transformative changes at scale. For example, if we have a network of interoperable systems across every ward and every hospital within an ICS, coupled with clinical experts and data experts working side by side, the possibilities are endless.
This will provide a remarkable insight to ensure the right decisions are being made for clinical teams, patients and patient outcomes. This can only be achieved if healthcare providers and specialist technology firms share this vision and work together to achieve it.
CSJ
*Omnicell has published a white paper addressing these issues, which can be accessed at:
www.omnicell.co.uk
Reference 1. BMJ quality and Safety research revealed that 237 million medication errors are made every year in England, costing the NHS upwards of £98 million and more than 1,700 lives annually. https://
www.bmj.com/company/newsroom/237-million- medication-errors-made-every-year-in-england/
About the author
Edward Platt attended Manchester University before moving on to Manchester Business School where he studied International Business. He first started his career at Omnicell as a project manager before moving into sales. He is passionate about transformational technology, driving savings through the NHS and improving patient safety.
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