Closed-loop medications management becomes a reality in the UK

Closing the loop through unit dose medicine management

Unit dose medicine management has demonstrated substantial benefits in healthcare systems across Europe and the US, and is now finally a reality for UK hospitals.

The unit dose approach, made possible by Deenova’s end-to-end service, enables automated closed-loop medication management, fully tracking and managing medicines from prescription, through to dispensation and patient administration. This approach has been proven to ease growing pressures on healthcare providers in the UK by increasing patient safety, reducing treatment dispensing errors and medicine waste, containing costs, and saving nurses’ and pharmacists’ time.

With nearly all UK patients given medication during a hospital stay (approx. 2.5m doses of medication per hospital per year), and approximately 40% of a UK nurses’ day spent administering medicines or on some medicines-related activity, this innovation cannot come soon enough. It is estimated that around 85% of medicines stocked by a hospital pharmacy can be “re-packaged” into unit doses.

Deenova is the first company to bring a fully automated, closed-loop solution for the management of medication to the UK with their pilot at University Hospitals Leicester. Outcomes from this pilot, scientifically analysed by the East Midlands Academic Health Science Network and Loughborough University, led to full implementation at the fourth biggest NHS trust for a 15-year service contract.

Deenova has been delivering unit dose solutions by providing a complete end-to-end service to hospitals across Europe for 18 years, with more than 70 projects to date. Deenova can operate and deliver results at any scale, from individual hospital up to regional, national or government levels.

To find out more about unit dose technology and fully automated closed-loop medication management, visit Deenova’s speaker session at Clinical Pharmacy Congress on Friday 13 May at 1:00pm. The session will be moderated by Ron Pate MBE, Independent consultant for the NHS and the pharmaceutical industry, former hospital Chief Pharmacist and regional pharmacist for secondary care. You’ll hear from Graeme Hall, Associate chief pharmacist / chief pharmacy information officer, University Hospitals of Leicester and Steve Tomlin, Director of the Children’s Medicines Centre, Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children.