BESTMED enlists families to improve medication management

BESTMED announces the release of its BESTMED Connect module that adds a new safety net for managing medications in elderly Australians whilst reducing the administration burden for aged care providers.

With BESTMED Connect, a resident’s loved ones will receive real time notifications whenever new medications are prescribed, adjusted or discontinued.

Importantly, for psychotropic medications consent is confirmed by the appropriate substitute decision maker nominated by the facility which replaces the current manual process with an automated, digital audit trail.

This transparency ensures that all family members can see the live medication profile and helping to foster better collaboration and decision-making.

The tool has been co-designed by researchers and consumers as part of a $992,386 Medical Research Future Fund project led by Professor Johanna Westbrook and Associate Professor Magda Raban at the Australian Institute of Health Innovation, Macquarie University.

BESTMED Connect acts as a safety net for avoiding medication errors which cause permanent disability or death for 15–19%¹ of residents admitted to hospital with medication-related problems.

Southern Cross Care (NSW & ACT) Chief Executive Officer Monique Reynolds said, “As an aged care provider, we are always seeking innovative ways to improve outcomes for residents.

“Our partnership with BESTMED provides us with access to pilot the latest advancements in medication management. We have identified time saving benefits for our clinical staff reducing paperwork and freeing them up to do what they do best: caring for residents.”

“Australia is fortunate to have world class digital health researchers, and it’s been a privilege for BESTMED to partner with them. The research led initiative can now be commercialised and scaled to benefit over 100,000 Australians in residential care,”said Phil Offer, BESTMED CEO.

“The initial pilot received exceptional feedback from families who value the real time notifications at the critical times in their loved one’s health journey. It provides peace of mind that they’ll be automatically alerted to help support and coordinate with their care team.”

BESTMED Connect key features and/or benefits:

• Live updates of medication changes
• Avoids time printing and sending paper charts
• Confirms psychotropic medication consent
• Shares upcoming medical reviews
• Provides visibility of pharmacy deliveries
• Unlocks the next generation of medication safety

The BESTMED Connect module complements our existing Medication Management platform that is used in over 1,100 Residential Aged Care Facilities across Australia. It is available now and is being demonstrated at the ACCPA national conference in Adelaide.