Thesis
Understanding how HEPMA data can be utilised to improve medicines optimisation and support quality improvement in mental health services
- Creator
- Rights statement
- Awarding institution
- University of Strathclyde
- Date of award
- 2025
- Thesis identifier
- T17567
- Person Identifier (Local)
- 202182079
- Qualification Level
- Qualification Name
- Department, School or Faculty
- Abstract
- Introduction: There is potential to improve patient care through utilisation of data from Hospital Electronic Prescribing and Medicines Administration (HEPMA) systems. Effective utilisation of the data requires an understanding of users’ needs. A systematic review concluded that medication errors occur frequently in mental health hospitals posing a risk to patient safety. Mental health was therefore identified as an area which could benefit from optimising the use of HEPMA data. Methods: A scoping literature review was conducted to identify how prescribing and administration data have been utilised within mental health services. The search was conducted in MEDLINE, Embase, CINHAL and the Cochrane Library and included studies between 2012 and 2022. A topic guide was developed from the findings and used to conduct two multi-disciplinary focus groups to seek mental health specialists’ views on how HEPMA data can be utilised to support quality improvement and medicines optimisation. Focus groups were audio-recorded, transcribed intelligent verbatim and thematically analysed. Results: Twenty-two studies included in the scoping review provided a summary of how prescription data has been used across all sectors of mental health services. The overall uses of the data were broken down into two categories: data as a direct intervention and data to assess the success of a separate intervention. The review identified areas generally not reported on when utilising data including user requirements around data presentation and frequency. The focus groups included a total of nine participants: 4 pharmacists, 3 doctors and 2 nurses. Seven themes were identified: experience of HEPMA data, barriers, proposed uses of HEPMA data, delivery of HEPMA data, governance, promotion and clinical user involvement in development. Proposed uses of HEPMA data included high-risk medicines, high dose antipsychotics and “when required” prescriptions. Conclusions: High risk medicines, in particular clozapine, were identified as the highest priority area for utilising HEPMA data in mental health services. The ability to link HEPMA data with other data sets was identified as a key element to gain the most benefit from the data. Additional factors were outlined which will impact on how effectively the data can be utilised and should be taken into consideration by organisations utilising HEPMA data.
- Advisor / supervisor
- Kurd, Amanj
- Bennie, Marion
- Wall, Alexa
- Resource Type
- DOI
Relations
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