By Integrating Critical Information at Point of Care, Rhazdrugs Improves Frontline Healthcare Staff Safety, Raises Bar for USP 800 Compliance 

Several months ago, in this same space, one of our clients shared her perspective around USP <800>. She discussed the complexity of managing the volumes of critical safety information and the continuous influx of updates, additions and changes. We felt it was a topic worth revisiting as we continue the conversation around the relationship between the cost and benefits of Rpharmy’s Rhazdrugs software.

Online marketing 101 – if it takes someone more than three clicks to get somewhere, you’re going to lose a sale. After owning a SaaS-based company for more than 15 years, I wholeheartedly concur. But the stakes are much higher when those extra clicks compromise the safety of patients and their caregivers.

Last week we had the opportunity to explore the origins of PPE and the critical role it plays in keeping healthcare workers safe. This week, we thought we would talk about the costs related to PPE.

Personal Protective Equipment or PPE has been part of my vocabulary for nearly 30 years. But if I talked to someone outside of the healthcare industry about it prior to March 2020, they would have looked at me like I was speaking Greek. Today, PPE is one of the most ubiquitous three letter acronyms in the English language.

It has been a while since my last blog. It’s not been because we didn’t have anything to share. We simply decided that in times of crisis, it’s best to put your head down and focus on doing everything you can to support the customers you have. And that is exactly what we have been doing at Rpharmy.

Back in November, we announced that we were changing our name. What we are finding is that even long-time customers of our original software still don’t know that we have more to offer. Here’s that blog once again from November of last year. And a few pictures to help. As the saying goes, a picture is worth a thousand words.

I recently wrote an article on my blog called, “Custom Software is a Bad Idea.” This came out of conversations where we were discussing the differences between custom software and configured software. Custom Software describes a situation where a company would have custom software engineering done for their specific needs. Configured software describes software that is setup for a company’s operations via a user interface, not via code, and often by the customer themselves. Rpharmy's software is considered configured because our customers can update information in the app such as drugs stocked by the hospital pharmacy, related information such as black box warnings, and information needed for handling hazardous drugs, etc., but there is no customer software written for a specific hospital customer.

The world we find ourselves in today is beyond all comprehension and imagination. We are at a loss as to how we can do more to help our frontline healthcare workers through the COVID-19 crisis.

One thing we know for sure. This is not a time for sales and marketing. It is a time for all of us to lend a helping hand.

We have compiled a list of valuable COVID – 19 resources for you including important CDC updates, articles and videos, and we will happily add a link to your existing FormWeb homepage. We have several customers who have added a link on the FormWeb homepage to the hospital resource page for COVID -19. See below for examples. If your FormWeb site is integrated with your EHR, this is a valuable place for this frequently used information.

To get started:

• Send us a quick email (support@formweb.com) and let us know if you would like this added to your FormWeb homepage. If you want us to link to your intranet, send us the link.
• If you want to use the information we have compiled, tell us and it will be added.

Thanks to Legacy Health, Our Lady of the Lake, and Iredell Memorial for sharing your ideas.

There is no manual for this one. It is being written as we go. We need to continue to talk to each other and share best practices. The power of our collective knowledge is the best defense for our frontline healthcare workers and their patients.