TDMH sets new standard for safety
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Tillsonburg District Memorial Hospital is one of the first hospitals 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 2014, TDMH 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 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. TDMH advocated, along with its partner hospital, Ingersoll's Alexandra Hospital, for CLMA to be utilized in the Emergency Department and now it is a reality in Tillsonburg.
“Both patients and team members appreciate that with CLMA the patient is included in the medication administration process,” said April Mullen, TDMH Clinical Director in a media release. “It benefits everyone involved when the patient understands the medication being given.”