Newly employed Laila turned the municipalities bottleneck into a success
Meet Laila (to the right) that was employed for one reason: Be that frontfigure, that turns implementation into a success – and her team leader Susanne (to the left), whom previously had become the gatekeeper for the municipality of Odsherred on their ambition of digitilizing medication reminders.
DoseFan: Laila Andersen
Employed as: Implementation manager in Odsherred Municipality
Uses DoseSystem due to: Desires more independent patients.
Enhances: Help for implementation and short response times.
Dreams of: More patients getting a DoseCan faster.
Two sides of the same story
There were high expectations, when nurse-assistant Laila Andersen was employed in Odsherred Municipality as implementation manager for DoseSystem. The management team had less than six months earlier decided to roll out the digital medicine-reminder-system in the municipality but had never really started.
Success needs structure
” I had a very systematic approach. The patients were categorized in four groups, and then one by one they tried the system. In the beginning the healthcare workers were worried ’What about our jobs?’, but today they think the system is genius and can see that the patients become more self-reliant.”
DoseSystem is a medicine box, DoseCan, which is given to patients that need help to remember their medication. DoseCan reminds the patient when it is time to take their medication, and there is an OK button on the box where they can acknowledge the intake. If this doesn’t happen the healthcare workers will receive a PUSH-message alarm.
” Today, we have a firm procedure for, how we deal with the red flags. We call the patient, possibly give them a visit and finally document the incident in our patient journal. That way we easily can document, what we have done, if a patient falls at home or forgets their medication.”
Bottlenecks
” Can I also have one of those?” is a question more and more patients will ask. It would be easy to try to use DoseCans in a nursing home or in homes for psychiatric patients”.
LAILA ANDERSEN, implementation manager in ODSHERRED Municipality
From changing a culture to everyday life
The system depends on changing a culture, says Laila Andersen. The goal is to get to a place where using technology is everyday life. It normally takes 2 years, but she takes ownership of the project and believes that despite many employees with different opinions, it can be done faster.
” Some employees can see the benefits others think it is difficult to give the elderly a medicine-box. But the majority are positive. We have worked on implementation at different levels in the four groups – it’s all about identifying the best solution for the individual group, so it’s easy and everyone is on board.”
The patients’ reactions
The one thing that has surprised Laila Andersen the most, is the patient’s reaction. They think it’s so easy to use the technology in a DoseCan. Additionally, the relatives are excited about not having to cancel homecare visits, and that DoseCan – or just the lid, where the technology is placed – can be taken with you on trips and holidays.
” Both patients and relatives worship the independence that comes with a DoseCan – you can be self-reliant without homecare, but not entirely left alone, because the healthcare workers receive alarms if the medication is forgotten.”
Meaningful work
Employee satisfaction rises, as Laila Andersen succeeds with implementing. An example is that, tiny short visits to patients are reduced today. It no longer is necessary to visit the patient in order to deliver half a tablet. This means that the more meaningful visits are gathered and are take up more time.
” I’m sure that the effect of this kind of safety support will grow via word-by-mouth method. ‘Can I also have one of those?’, is a question more and more patients will ask. It would be easy to try to use DoseCans on a nursing home or in homes for psychiatric patients.”
Laila Andersen’s 7 tips for practical implementation
- Divide the employees into smaller groups.
- Aim the implementation for each group.
- Make a slideshow with the basics.
- Film a patient telling their story on what DoseCan has done of them.
- Use an illustration from DoseSystem to illustrate the system.
- Make a test with alarms and handling red flags.
- Diminish the IT-fear by letting the employees use the App and login.
