Baptist Health Closes Loop on Safety, Security of OR Medications
Baptist Health introduced closed loop functionality between their Epic EHR and XT Anesthesia Workstations. This innovation automated controlled substance reconciliation, increasing compliance, saving time, and enhancing patient safety.
The Challenge
At Baptist Health Floyd, pharmacy leaders worked closely with anesthesia providers and staff to transition from a manual OR medication management environment to adopting the Omnicell® XT Anesthesia Workstation™ solution. The workstation securely stores all the medications and supplies needed for a full day of cases in one convenient place.
Both the anesthesia and pharmacy teams quickly experienced the benefits of the automated systems and workflow processes, including enhanced:
- Safety
- Security
- Accessibility
- Compliance
However, pharmacy leaders saw an opportunity for further improvement. Being familiar with closed loop functionally between their Omnicell XT Automated Dispensing Cabinets and Epic EHR, they desired to extend similar interoperability to the OR. The closed loop process automatically identifies any variance between medications dispensed, wasted, and administered.
At Baptist Health Floyd, pharmacy leaders worked closely with anesthesia providers and staff to transition from a manual OR medication management environment to adopting the Omnicell® XT Anesthesia Workstation™ solution. The workstation securely stores all the medications and supplies needed for a full day of cases in one convenient place.
Both the anesthesia and pharmacy teams quickly experienced the benefits of the automated systems and workflow processes, including enhanced:
- Safety
- Security
- Accessibility
- Compliance
However, pharmacy leaders saw an opportunity for further improvement. Being familiar with closed loop functionally between their Omnicell XT Automated Dispensing Cabinets and Epic EHR, they desired to extend similar interoperability to the OR. The closed loop process automatically identifies any variance between medications dispensed, wasted, and administered.
The Solution
Activated Solutions
Baptist Health partnered with Omnicell on new, closed-loop functionality between the XT Anesthesia Workstation and Epic EHR. The solution automates the process for reconciling controlled substances used, wasted, or transferred to another provider.
This anesthesia closed loop interoperability:
- Enhances OR workflow
- Improves controlled substance accountability
- Automates waste documentation
- Reduces time resolving discrepancies
Introducing anesthesia closed loop functionality at Baptist Health Floyd greatly improved workflows, patient safety, and time savings, according to Director of Pharmacy Brandon McLain. “It’s led to significant improvements in our controlled substance process and made providers’ lives easier,” he said.
With the closed loop functionality processing approximately 1,100 line items and 900 transactions per month:
- Waste compliance increased from 65% to 92%
- Transaction auditing increased from 10% to 100%
- Variance rate was reduced to 1.1% through automatic reconciliation
Activated Solutions
Baptist Health partnered with Omnicell on new, closed-loop functionality between the XT Anesthesia Workstation and Epic EHR. The solution automates the process for reconciling controlled substances used, wasted, or transferred to another provider.
This anesthesia closed loop interoperability:
- Enhances OR workflow
- Improves controlled substance accountability
- Automates waste documentation
- Reduces time resolving discrepancies
Introducing anesthesia closed loop functionality at Baptist Health Floyd greatly improved workflows, patient safety, and time savings, according to Director of Pharmacy Brandon McLain. “It’s led to significant improvements in our controlled substance process and made providers’ lives easier,” he said.
With the closed loop functionality processing approximately 1,100 line items and 900 transactions per month:
- Waste compliance increased from 65% to 92%
- Transaction auditing increased from 10% to 100%
- Variance rate was reduced to 1.1% through automatic reconciliation
Two Clicks to Close the Loop
From a provider perspective, the workflow is much simpler. “At the practice level, with just two clicks you’re closing the loop,” explains Chief Pharmacy Officer Nilesh Desai. “The provider can see the information crossing over from Epic EHR to Omnicell.”
No action is needed for zero waste, which typically accounts for 80% of dispenses. In pharmacy, the closed-loop interoperability provides real-time medication reconciliation. Pharmacists review 100% of cases, improving control and saving time.
From a provider perspective, the workflow is much simpler. “At the practice level, with just two clicks you’re closing the loop,” explains Chief Pharmacy Officer Nilesh Desai. “The provider can see the information crossing over from Epic EHR to Omnicell.”
No action is needed for zero waste, which typically accounts for 80% of dispenses. In pharmacy, the closed-loop interoperability provides real-time medication reconciliation. Pharmacists review 100% of cases, improving control and saving time.
Strong Pharmacy-Anesthesia Partnership
Overall, Baptist Health pharmacy leaders believe that forming a strong partnership with anesthesia providers early in the process is essential to the successful adoption of any anesthesia automation solution. This includes:
- Offering providers input into the standard drawer setups based on procedure types
- Developing frontline anesthesia provider champions to visibly lead the process and to answer provider questions
- Encouraging hands-on learning and interactive feedback to help overcome objections and stimulate acceptance
Overall, Baptist Health pharmacy leaders believe that forming a strong partnership with anesthesia providers early in the process is essential to the successful adoption of any anesthesia automation solution. This includes:
- Offering providers input into the standard drawer setups based on procedure types
- Developing frontline anesthesia provider champions to visibly lead the process and to answer provider questions
- Encouraging hands-on learning and interactive feedback to help overcome objections and stimulate acceptance
The Impact
Key Outcomes:
- Increase waste compliance by 28%
- Decreased variance rate to 1.1%
- Enhanced patient safety
- Simplified OR workflow
- Reduced pharmacy documentation time
Customer Benefits:
- Improved visibility/control of OR medications
- Virtually eliminated waste compliance issues
- Reduced time spent on manual processes
"The goal with anesthesia closed-loop interoperability was to partner with the anesthesia team to create a more harmonious workflow, one that is more efficient for them, but also safer when they’re working on the patient. "
Nilesh Desai, Chief Pharmacy Officer, Baptist Health
"The interoperability was a huge selling point. With controlled substances, it gives us complete insight into every transaction that occurs on any given day."
M. Brandon McLain, Director of Pharmacy, Baptist Health Floyd
