Thursday, February 18, 2016
Alexandra Hospital
AHI sets new standard for safety with implementation of HUGO in Emergency Department
Alexandra Hospital Ingersoll (AHI) is proud to be the first hospital in the region to implement Closed Loop Medication Administration (CLMA) in its Emergency Department. CLMA, a more secure way to administer medication to patients, increases security of “right patient, right medication, right dose, right time, right route”.
In 2013, AHI successfully went live with HUGO (Healthcare UnderGoing Optimization). CLMA is part of the HUGO process. With CLMA, a computer containing files with the patient’s electronic chart and medication records is taken to the patient’s bedside. The nurse scans the patient’s armband to verify that the correct chart is open and then scans each medication to ensure that the right medication is being administered.
When HUGO was first launched, all participating hospitals decided that CLMA would not be initiated in Emergency Departments. AHI advocated, along with its partner hospital Tillsonburg District Memorial Hospital, for CLMA to be utilized in the ED and that is now a reality here in Ingersoll.
“One of the many benefits of CLMA is that the patient is included in the medication administration process,” says Lori Smith, AHI Director of Clinical Services. “This helps ensure that the patient understands the medication being given.”
In 2014, AHI was awarded the prestigious Advancing Clinical Excellence (ACE) Award from Cerner Canada for its implementation of Healthcare Undergoing Optimization (HUGO) in all inpatient areas of the hospital.
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