Team leader gained time by implementing medicine reminders in a new way
Meet team leader Susanne (to the left), that became the gatekeeper for the Municipality of Odsherred’s ambition of digitalizing medicine reminders – and Laila (to the right), who was employed with one purpose only: Be that front figure, that can turn implementation into a success.
DoseFan: Susanne Andersen
Employed as: Team leader for homecare 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 side of the same coin
Meet team leader Susanne (to the left), that became the gatekeeper for the Municipality of Odsherreds ambition of digitalizing medicine reminders – and Laila (to the right), whom was employed with one purpose only: Be that front figure, that can turn implementation into a success.
A summer day in 2016 the team leader from Odsherred Municipality decides that DoseSystem should be the municipalities’ future digital medicine reminder-system. In the fall they hadn’t reached their goals.
” The first months, where the employment wasn’t cost-effective, was quickly paid off in a short period of time. There was both cost-benefits to ensure the implementation manager and then some”.
SUSANNE ANDERSEN, TEAM LEADER
An untraditional idea
As team leader for home care Susanne Andersen was responsible for project ’DoseSystem’, it was difficult to find time among all the many tasks landing on her desk. Something had to be done because they all wanted to try.
” We didn’t have the resources internally, so we had to think untraditionally: If we could some money by digitalizing medicine reminders, then it was expensive that I was the gatekeeper – and it was a good investment to employ someone to exclusively handle implementation.”
A good Investment
With support from the management, a position was posted and in November assistant nurse Laila Andersen was employed as implementations manager for DoseSystem in the municipality.
” The first months, where the employment wasn’t cost-effective, was quickly paid for in a short period of time. Actually, there was both cost-benefits to ensure the implementation manager and then some.”
Great potential
When there finally was focus on the implementation it went super easy and the implementation project could be rolled out to more DoseCans. Patients think that it is smart, nice and feel more independent and the healthcare workers follow up on the sidelines with help from Laila.
” Had we had not given a colleague the responsibility to be the figurehead, we probably would still only have 10 patients using a DoseCan. It is just so important that one person takes the lead. Laila is responsible for training colleagues and patients. And takes ownership.”
Susanne Andersen underlines, that new technology leads to culture changes. Therefore, implementation is not over when the system is up and running, continuous training is necessary. On the contrary many patients only need help to remember their medication, so there is great potential when the system is up and running.
Team leader Susanne Andersen’s 3 tips for implementation
- Don’t think that implementation can be put on top of the tasks that already have to be done.
- Employ an implementation manager, who takes ownership.
- Ensure management focus and support.
