| JDS Healthcare Corporation
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Background
The Pharmacist Network, a division of JDS Healthcare, is an
innovative professional network that combines state-of-the-art
telecommunications and software technologies to provide medication
information and advice for patients throughout British Columbia.
With the Pharmacist Network, individual callers are able to obtain
up-to-date information about their medications from community
pharmacists. This "first of its kind" network in North
America links practicing healthcare professionals directly to
patients using standard phone connections.
The real power of the network is behind the scenes. The goal of
the system is offer ease of use for patients supported by a
convergence of technologies that provide the best healthcare
information possible. The need for a robust, easy to use knowledge
base was key to the design and success of the network from its
inception. Sponsored and contracted by the British Columbia Ministry
of Health Services to provide medication information, over 10,000
calls have been placed to pharmacists using the system.
Situation
JDS Healthcare communicates a wide variety of information
for patients. Keeping track of up to the minute policies, procedures
and processes requires fast access to a broad range of information.
Their goal is to provide pharmacists with quick answers to any
question regarding medications for their patients. With 45
pharmacists linked to the network, the knowledge base needed to be
updated frequently and easy to use. The need for speed is key.
Because the information is being provided to patients based on their
individual medical needs, the information must be accurate. The
pharmacists provide patients with important information regarding
the use of drugs and their possible effects.
Strategy
With pharmacists situated in many locations, JDS needed a
system that could potentially cover the entire country. The network
would only be effective using a web based infrastructure connected
to a centralized server where information could be uploaded and
accessed using standard telephone connections. The volume of data
would be high and would have frequent additions. Referencing and
cataloging information needed to be done with a simple, quick to
learn interface. The system had to be intuitive and adaptable to a
diverse group of users who could quickly identify, locate and
retrieve the information they needed.
Results
The Novo Solutions knowledge base was able to be implemented
quickly with users trained in minutes. Fast access to updated
information and important issues like drug interactions can be
communicated to callers in real time. Building the online knowledge
base was a major boost for JDS's image because of their ability to
demonstrate the ability to harness the power of technology and
provide a significant public health benefit. The Novo Solutions
knowledge base software allowed them to achieve that capability
because it worked well, was easy to implement and was fast to yield
recognizable results.
The Pharmacists Network knowledge base offers all users a single
source of up-to-date information in one place that is accessible
from anywhere at anytime. The system is fully customizable allowing
JDS Healthcare to build different databases for different users with
different levels of authorization. The flexibility means they do not
have to develop workaround solutions to accomplish their objectives.
They are able to support the pharmacists community as well as
support an e-learning environment with users logging on to the
system to reinforce their personal knowledge and skills.
JDS Healthcare feels that the knowledge base solution is the most
helpful and easy to update system available. With plans to develop
and deploy increasingly larger FAQ modules, JDS will continue to
extend the application into new areas further enhancing their core
capabilities due to the systems' inherent scalability.
As a sign of its success, the Pharmacist Network received the
prestigious Patient Care Achievement Award for Innovation from the
Canadian Pharmacists Association in May of 2004, providing a
significant public relations boost to JDS Healthcare. The award
recognizes their use of leading edge technology, including the
advanced expert system to provide timely medication information and
advice for those that are in need.
JDS feels that Novo Solutions "has put it all together and
provides lots of flexibility" noting that the Novo Solutions
technical team has been very responsive and helpful along the way.
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