INTENDED GOALS

CONTINUED USE OF HOME MEDICATION

Within the hospital landscape, there are two ways to deal with medication during a hospital stay in the future, namely the 'pill pick' concept and 'continued use of home medication'. Both concepts are aimed at delivering customized medication, but the aim is to implement the continued use of home medication as a concept. The 'pill pick' concept includes the so-called Baxter rolls, where patients receive the same bag of necessary medication every day during their hospital stay. However, the 'pill pick' concept does not take into account medication that patients already use at home. Continued use of home medication means that patients who are admitted to hospital are asked to bring the medication that they use at home with them to their admission. The aim of this is that patients continue to use this medication during their hospital stay and store it in their bedside table next to the hospital bed. If they are able to do so, patients can take the medication themselves. If this is not the case, the nursing staff will provide support in administering the medication. If patients are prescribed new medication by a doctor during their hospital stay, they will receive a box that they can take home with them at the end of their stay.

In contrast to the 'pill pick' concept, the continued use of home medication has several advantages. Patients are given the opportunity to continue the routine they use at home with regard to medication during their hospital stay. In addition, possible changes in medication are taken into account in advance, for example the discontinuation or addition of certain medicines, and the guidance in medication does not stop when the patient is discharged. In addition, this way more emphasis can be placed on continuity in the use of medication (during a hospital stay), which stimulates therapy compliance. The continued use of home medication is also a sustainable concept, in which less medication is wasted.

It is important that patients can store their home medication safely and in a separate place during their hospital stay. However, the current facilities are not yet suitable for this. For this purpose, the development of a separate drawer in a bedside table that can be locked with a (key) code or badge is being considered.

CARE AND LOGISTICS SEPARATE

With the vision of care and logistics separated, the following is specifically central: Wherever the patient is, we want to be able to provide the appropriate care. On the other hand, we want to keep the care logistics, the production process and preparation of medication for delivery to the patient, in the background as efficiently as possible and separate it from the care. The intended goal here is to set up logistical medication processes as automated as possible and to deploy our employees for the care-related work processes with the result that the outpatient/clinical patient walks out via the collection wall where the medication is ready or that the medication is delivered at home. In doing so, we make the pharmacy future-proof given the tightness in the labor market.

In addition, consideration is being given to better responding to repeat prescriptions. A topic that has gained momentum since the corona period. There are many chronically ill outpatients who visit their treating physician once a year by appointment and return several times a year to collect a repeat prescription. These patients often do not need additional explanation when handing over the medication and it can be recorded in advance when the patient needs new medication. We want to prevent patients from having to wait in line unnecessarily or visiting the hospital unnecessarily. In short, there is room to shape patient care and the underlying care logistics more efficiently.

It is important to emphasize that our ambition is to separate care and logistics where possible. This depends on the complexity of the care. For example, for patients who use ten different drugs, it can be more efficient to explain on the spot how they should use the medication. We do not want to push the vision of 'separating care and logistics' to the extreme, but really focus on the 80%/20% rule: Where it is possible, we do it!

JUST IN TIME DELIVERY

'Just in time delivery' refers to dealing with medication processes and stock as efficiently as possible. Because prescriptions are made with regard to the medication, we know at what time it needs to be administered. In the current situation, these prescriptions are placed on a waiting list and then processed in the order in which they are received, regardless of whether these prescriptions relate to today, tomorrow or next week. We strive to process prescriptions at the moment that this is actually necessary. With 'just in time delivery' we also refer to pneumatic tube delivery, in other words, ensuring that medication arrives at its destination quickly. The renovation of the Maastricht UMC  gives us the opportunity to shape pneumatic tube delivery in the clinic, outpatient clinic and outpatient pharmacy. In doing so, we focus on efficient issues: How can we reduce walking movements? How can we get products to their destination faster?