Digital Order Sets: Find E-Learning Here
Dr. Darin Treleaven using Digital Order Sets in the Dialysis Unit, Charlton Campus with his patient Gerard Mariam.
CLICK ON Digital Order Sets Logo: Everything you Need to Know
Dr. Darin Treleaven approaches the workstation on wheels with a smile. As a medical lead at St. Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton’s Nephrology Department, he has been road testing order sets as part of clinical practice for almost a decade and the improvements in patient safety, quality and efficiency are clear to him and his team. However, that’s not why he’s grinning.
“Now that order sets will be done digitally, the team won’t have to root around to find papers, or need to find me to clarify a dosage of medication because the process will be streamlined,” Dr. Treleaven explains. “What’s more is that when Digital Order Sets launches on our unit this fall, the team won’t have to strain to read my imperfect handwriting which I’m sure they’ll appreciate even more.”
Order sets aren’t new to clinical units like nephrology. They allow for streaming of care - for example, when a patient is admitted for a kidney transplant, their medical tests, treatments and medications must occur in a specific order. Routine blood work and the administering of antibiotics and antiviral medications all require precise considerations for specific circumstances. Typically these order sets are on paper - but Digital Order Sets works like a secure online medical checklist, developed internally based on evidence-based practice, ensuring that the entire healthcare team knows what has been completed and what must be done next to provide excellent care and ensure the safest environment for care.
“Using Digital Order Sets, everything that requires attention gets attention, in a systematic and efficient way,” says Dr. Treleaven. “By being as efficient as possible and making order sets digital, we’re hoping we’ll be able to spend more time with our patients. The biggest difference we’ll see is that we’ll able to be assured that all of our orders are comprehensive and clear. If over time they need to be revised, we can be more responsive by making improvements quickly using the new system.”
If you are a health care practitioner at St. Joe’s looking to learn more about when your unit will be adopting Digital Order Sets, please email digitalordersets@stjoes.ca
Adopting in 2014:
- Nephrology & Renal Transplant
- Post Anesthesia Care Unit (PACU), Emergency Department (ED) & Day Surgery Unit (DSU): equipment only
- Chest, Head & Neck, Step Down Unit
- Palliative Care, Geriatrics, Long-Term Care
- Psychiatric Emergency Service
- 9 & 10 Acute Mental Health at Charlton Campus
Information for Medical Professionals:
For further information for staff please click here to locate the "Digital Order Sets' Everything you Need to Know Site"