Accomplishments

Mercy Meds’ provides safer environment for patients
Evidence of St. Joseph’s commitment to patient safety is the 2005 implementation of “Mercy Meds,” an innovative system that has transformed the way medication is administered to patients.

The Sisters of Mercy Health System-wide initiative incorporates technology, strategic partnerships and improved work processes to bring an enhanced level of safety and efficiency to the medication process. Quite simply, “Mercy Meds” seeks to insure the five “rights” of medication safety – the “right” dose of the “right” drug through the “right” route at the “right” time to the “right” patient – and promises to have the greatest impact on patient safety ever achieved in the history of Mercy.

To verify accuracy, from a computer on wheels that can be moved from one patient room to another, clinical co-workers use a handheld scanner to scan their own identification (ID) badge, the patient’s ID wrist band and the medication packaging. All five of the “rights” of medication administration must be in place for the bar-coding technology to accept the order and if any of the “rights” are not verified, the system issues an alert. In addition to verifying medication accuracy, the computer system automatically updates the patient record in real time, checks for allergies and allows for links to on-line drug reference resources.

Pharmacy Department makes pharmacists available around the clock
Thanks to the recent installation of a night-shift team, the Pharmacy Department operates from a schedule where pharmacists are on duty 24 hours a day, seven days a week. This service expansion came on the heels of an equally innovative shift to a decentralized model where some pharmacists work on the units. This places an emphasis on direct patient contact and more interaction with other members of St. Joseph’s healthcare team. The Pharmacy Department’s night-shift team – two pharmacists and two pharmacy technicians – offers the same professional service for patients, nurses and clinicians through the night.

St. Joseph’s provides pharmaceutical services utilizing: computerized order entry and patient drug profiles; full medication dispensing on units with electronic automated dispensing cabinets; unit dose bar-coded medication for nurses to scan prior to administration; and an intravenous admixture service and clinical pharmacy staff that work directly with nurses and physicians to provide patients with high quality care. It’s a safety-first approach that has only been enhanced by the presence of the new St. Joseph’s Pharmacy Department night-shift team.