Orion Health helps to digitise medicine administration across the NSW Justice Health and Forensic Mental Health Network

Orion Health has announced it has signed a deal with Justice Health Forensic Mental Health Network (the Network) to implement Orion Health Medication Management and Electronic Medicines Administration as part of the continued development of the Network’s Justice Health electronic Health System (JHeHS).

JHeHS, originally implemented by Orion Health in 2014, provides a single, patient-centric view across the Network, digitising paper-based clinician processes. As part of ongoing strategic updates, the Network had a vision to further digitise the clinician experience through providing a medicine administration platform, shifting from paper-based medication chart processes to an electronic medication chart with improved interactions.

Network Chief Executive, Gary Forrest says the medicine administration platform is the next step on the digital journey. “Orion Health has worked consistently with the Network to deliver and maintain a very functional electronic medical record. It’s time to take that one step further,” Gary said.

“The upcoming electronic medication management solution will be another game changer for the Network. Historically, our healthcare professionals have had to track a patient’s medication orders through an extensive paper-based process, which involved duplication of workflow, absorbed a significant amount of clinical time, and wasn’t patient focused. It is our hope that the Orion Health Electronic Medicines Administration (eMAR) solution will provide enormous value to our clinicians and patients alike,” Mr Forrest added.

The full Medicines solution is underpinned by the Australian Medicines Terminology and includes rich, end-to-end medication management capability for medicines documentation, reconciliation, medication ordering and medication administration.

Authorised clinicians throughout the Network, including remote locations, will have immediate access to a single view of any patient’s current medications and their administration history. The solution aims to reduce time spent looking for patient notes, as well as efforts to copy a patient’s current medications into various documents.

Dirk McCormack, Head of Customer Success for Orion Health Australia, says that the eMAR solution will enable Network clinicians and end-users working with patients with complex needs to deliver the right care for them.

“The Network is a vital part of the New South Wales public health system through its support of a highly vulnerable patient population,” says Mr McCormack.

“Adults and young people in contact with the forensic mental health and criminal justice systems often have health needs that are numerous and more complex than the wider community. The eMAR solution will help healthcare professionals to deliver efficient, empathetic care and improved outcomes for these vulnerable patients,” he says.

The eMAR solution is expected to go live in 2021. For more information about Orion Health Medicines visit www.orionhealth.com. 

About Orion Health

Orion Health is a global healthcare technology company and one of the world’s foremost providers of healthcare integration solutions to healthcare organisations. Worldwide, Orion Health solutions are used in 13 countries by more than 300,000 clinicians. We provide an open platform which enables access to healthcare by more than 100 million patients across the world. The company provides interoperability, population health management and precision medicine solutions for health information exchanges (HIEs), shared care records, accountable care organisations (ACOs) and payers. The company is committed to continual innovation, investing substantially in research and development to cement its position at the forefront of precision medicine. For more information visit www.orionhealth.com. 

About the Justice Health Forensic Mental Health Network

The Justice Health and Forensic Mental Health Network (the Network) is a Statutory Health Corporation established under the Health Services Act (New South Wales (NSW)) 1997 in Australia. The Network is part of the broader health system reporting to the Minister for Health through the Network Board and the Secretary, NSW Health. The Network delivers health care to adults and young people in contact with the forensic mental health and criminal justice systems, across community, inpatient and custodial settings. Visit: www.justicehealth.nsw.gov.au.