Since Hope Aged Care implemented the StrongCare medication management platform, they have eliminated errors and saved time across their four Victorian aged care facilities.
StrongCare comprises key modules such as an electronic controlled drug register, e-prescribing, resident administration, and reporting that assists with quality indicators and the quality use of medicine reports (QUM).
The platform boasts an award-winning approach to design and user experience, winning the Victorian Premier’s Design Award for Service Design in 2019.
Each of the modules ensures precise management of medications, compliance with regulations, efficient administration, and comprehensive reporting capabilities designed to support clinical governance, safety and quality care outcomes.
It is fully conformant with the transitional Electronic National Residential Medication Chart (eNRMC), for which there is currently a funding grant available to help with adoption.
StrongCare’s controlled drug register allows an aged care facility to manage the use of S8s and S4s at a granular level on a per drug register, per location.
The software is cloud-native, requiring minimal technical specifications, and maintenance is simplified with automatic updates and patches, managed by StrongRoom AI, the parent company of StrongCare.
Hope Aged Care Gladstone Park, situated in Melbourne’s north-west, implemented the StrongCare platform around twelve months ago, replacing what had been a paper-based system. Their Service Manager, Ali Ibrahim, shared that StrongCare has eliminated errors and streamlined medication rounds.
Thanks to real-time tracking and alerts, they’ve managed to save about 92 minutes each day in their 82-bed facility. This translates to roughly $15,000 in annual savings, making it a cost-positive investment.
“Staff have everything in front of them when doing rounds; the type of medicine, how to administer (whole, crushed, liquid…), including any other requirements.
“Medication rounds are done by 10 am and the system will provide alerts if anything has been missed – the system has eliminated errors”
Ali Ibrahim, Service Manager, Hope Aged Care Gladstone Park
According to Alexander Wong, Head of National Clinical Systems of StrongRoom AI, the user experience is an important aspect of their platform.
“Distractions are the leading cause of errors, so a large part of our focus has been ensuring the user experience is designed to allow those using the system to find everything they need on the one page, without the need to navigate away until rounds are finished,” Mr Wong said.
Workflows are automated to help meet clinical quality indicators and standards.
StrongRoom AI has a close connection with Community Pharmacies through a product suite that streamlines their interactions with prescribers across both aged care and hospitals.
Prescribers will be attracted by the integration of the electronic controlled drug register and the user-friendly design that is simple to use, without the need for extensive training.
According to Mr Wong, himself a Pharmacist, “StrongCare is offered free of charge to Pharmacists, which is a point of difference for us. It will always be free and represents a wider commitment we have to the sector.”
Pharmacists and prescribers can create detailed medication charts alongside prescriptions, customising them based on selected chart types. As a cloud-based system, it can be accessed and updated from anywhere.
With StrongCare, medication errors have been eliminated, and the platform continues to provide ongoing 24/7 support. Further efficiencies are expected as the AI-enabled technology gathers data and the information flows back to the aged care provider, with an opportunity to further optimise workflows and predictive analysis to help streamline staff management and increase care minutes, and thus improve value-based care to the resident.
Sponsored by STRONGROOM AI
