The Royal Orthopaedic Hospital NHS Foundation Trust (ROH) is a specialist hospital located in Birmingham, U.K. As one of the largest orthopaedic units in Europe, the ROH offers a comprehensive range of surgical and non-surgical treatments. Currently, ROH employs approximately 1,400 dedicated staff members who work tirelessly to provide exceptional healthcare services.

ROH handles many patient cases, managing approximately 14,000 to 15,000 inpatient cases annually. This includes around 6,000 to 7,000 inpatients who require extended hospital stays and 7,000 to 8,000 outpatient cases.

In addition to inpatient care, ROH also manages a significant volume of outpatient visits. Annually, they accommodate around 66,000 outpatient visits. This includes 22,000 to 23,000 first-time appointments, where new patients are assessed and diagnosed, and 40,000 to 50,000 follow-up appointments, where ongoing care and treatment plans are monitored and adjusted as needed.

In 2021, ROH implemented the CareFlow Pharmacy system, enhancing its pharmaceutical management and patient care processes.

Challenges Before Implementing CareFlow Pharmacy 

Prior to implementing the CareFlow Pharmacy system, ROH faced significant challenges with integrating its previous software solutions. They selected System C to address these issues, particularly in stock control and ordering. The transition resulted in a notable reduction in waste and expired medicines, as a result of CareFlow Pharmacy’s advanced stock control capabilities.

The primary motivation for switching systems was to facilitate easier integration with new technologies, such as dispensing robots and automated drug cabinets. System C also supported ROH to overcome hurdles related to the ordering and procurement processes.

“We have also benefitted from a better procurement system and can monitor and control our stock inventory much better than we did with our old supplier, this has seen a reduction in waste/expired medicines as well as overall stock holdings.” – Andy Tew, Chief Technician for ePMA/IT at ROH.

ROH faced significant challenges before implementing CareFlow Pharmacy due to outdated digital solutions for procurement and medicine management. The absence of e-ordering meant that orders were still being faxed to suppliers and wholesalers. Efforts to modernise the pharmacy service were previously hindered by limited options for digitisation and integration with technologies like robotics.

The procurement of CareFlow Pharmacy enabled ROH to improve the entire process from procurement all the way through to supply and re-ordering. The system also helped with the integration of Omnicell robotics, which has vastly improved the speed and safety of both storage and distribution of medicines.

“The implementation process was pretty painless! System C provided excellent project management and guided us through the process without any real issues. They also worked well with our automation suppliers to make interfacing etc. easy for us to manage onsite.”  – Andy Tew, Chief Technician for ePMA/IT at ROH.

Benefits of CareFlow  

ROH has experienced significant benefits from acquiring CareFlow Pharmacy. Integrating the solution with their dispensing robot has accelerated both dispensing and bulk issuing processes, freeing up staff to focus on other tasks. This integration has particularly relieved nurses on the wards from bulk issue duties, allowing them to dedicate more clinical time to patient care. 

Additionally, CareFlow Pharmacy’s widespread use across NHS trusts means that new staff members often have prior experience with the system, facilitating a smoother introduction to the department. The hospital has also seen improvements in procurement and inventory control, leading to reduced waste and expired medicines, as well as lower overall stock holdings.  

The Future at The Royal Orthopaedic Hospital

The Royal Orthopaedic Hospital NHS Foundation Trust is currently in the early stages of procuring a comprehensive EPR solution to enhance seamless care across the entire organisation. While the full impact on the pharmacy department is yet to be determined, the main focus will be on maintaining or improving integration and automation wherever possible. 

Next Steps

You can learn more about our CareFlow Pharmacy system by reading or discover how much your organisation could save with CareFlow Pharmacy with our savings calculator.

If you have any questions or require further information, please don’t hesitate to contact your account manager or fill in the contact us form today.