2. MEDICINES OPTIMISATION
INNOVATION CENTRE
• Overall aim: to work towards better patient outcomes by
initiating, developing & sharing best practice with
regards to medicines use.
• Achieved through:
– Research
– Quality Improvement
– Knowledge transfer
– Innovation
– International Collaboration

3. MEDICINES OPTIMISATION
INNOVATION CENTRE
• Prof Mike Scott, Director
• Dr Glenda Fleming, Deputy Director
• Dr Frans van Andel, Lead in Internationalization
• About 10 staff members in areas like clinical pharmacy,
drug selection and procurement, patient involvement,
engagement office

4. Current key initiatives
• Institutionalised approach towards establishing the Centre
• Knowledge transfer in relation to MO systems developed in NI
• Continued development of technology solutions
• Training and development of other Health Care Professionals
• Develop Public - Private cross-sector working thereby helping
the local economy
• Foster international collaboration

5. Background: Academic Practice Unit
• Academic practice unit between Antrim Area Hospital & QUB
established in 1994
• Over 60 papers, almost 100 posters and abstracts, 13 PhDs,
50 MSc and Diplomas
• Established Integrated MO in Northern Ireland (= integral
component of MOH policy)

6. Medicines Optimization (MO)
in Northern Ireland
• Drug history at admission reduction of 4.2 errors per patient
• Length of stay reduced by 2 days
• Increased time to readmission (20 days)
• Kardex monitoring (inpatient) 5.5 interventions per patient
• Faster medication rounds > 25 minutes per day saved
• Faster discharge > 90 minutes quicker
• More accurate discharge < 1% error rate compared to 25% by
medical staff

7. Enabling Technology
• Bespoke locker Hospital Metalcraft Ltd
• Safe Therapeutic Economic Pharmaceutical Selection
(STEPSelect) Digitalis Ltd Amsterdam
• Electronic Pharmacist Intervention Clinical System
(EPICS) Yarra Software Ltd
• Medicines Reconciliation Software (Writemed)
Yarra Software Ltd
• Antimicrobial Surveillance System (LAMPS) Yarra
Software Ltd

8. Pharmaceutical Industry
• Continuity of Care Post – hospitalisation of patients at risk of
medicines related problems (ABPNI)
• A suite of new diagnostic tests (e.g. for C Diff and other
diseases) – Hybergine Ltd
• Hospital pharmacist led smoking cessation scheme (Pfizer)
• New treatment options for schizophrenia (Synovion)
• A number of new projects are being scoped

9. KnowledgeTransfer Success
- International Collaborative Projects -
• Regional in Northern Ireland
• Numerous Trusts in England
• Sweden, Uppsala and Skane
• Southern Ireland, Tallaght Hospital and Drogheda Hospital
• Central Norway
• Gdansk, Poland, University Teaching Hospital
• Olomouc, Czech Republic, University Teaching Hospital
• Belgrade, Serbia, Institute of Rheumatology
• Barcelona, Spain, Formulary Committee

10. Education and Training
Colleagues From -
• Sweden
• Norway
• South of Ireland
• Erasmus Programme with
Poland
• Programme with the Spanish
Hospital Pharmacists
Association
• EIP Twinning exchange with
• Spain, Czech Republic and
NWC England
• Exchange Programme with
Orbisch Medisch Centrum
Sittard, The Netherlands
• Jordan
• Palestine
• Estonia
• Numerous visits from English
Colleagues
• New Zealand

11. Health Care Acquired Infections
(Microbiology, Infection Control and Hotel Services)
• Partners for work in in this area includes: Goldshield;
Clinimax; Iskus Health; University of Ulster; QUB
– Alcohol gel
– Hand hygiene
– Chlorhexidine products/formulations
– Chlorine dioxide
– Use of procedure packs
– Environmental processes

12. Other key initiatives
• European Innovation Partnership on Active and
Healthy Ageing: Three Star Reference Site
Status for Medicines Management
• Healthcare-SAT Secure Analytics Tagging:
ARCNET
• European Connected Health Alliance:
Medicines Optimisation inter-ecosystem group

13. MO in NI: a comprehensive approach
which pays off
• At MOH level: QA Policy in MO defined and
implemented (only one in Europe)
• Comprehensive policy focussing on:
– All levels of health care (secondary, primary)
– All levels of medicines selection, procurement,
distribution, usage and measurement of utilization
• Improve outcomes (low error rates of
dispensing, cost-effectiveness, better health
outcomes)

14. In short
• MOIC: a name in the UK and Europe in MO to
stay
• with an extensive network in government,
academia, healthcare providers and patient
organizations
• and a suite of MO instruments to offer
• In combination with a host of expertise in MO
TA and training
• Ready to assume collaboration with interested
parties