UK university strikes e-prescribing partnership with Better

A UK university has struck a partnership with medical technology firm Better that aims to give nursing and pharmacy students a better insight into e-prescribing.

Liverpool John Moores University is to use Better’s OPENeP electronic prescribing and medicines administration software to teach the students about modern prescribing practices.

OPENeP is designed as a stand-alone product that allows electronic patient record systems to be integrated with medication-related decision support systems.

The partnership aims to help students learn the principles of prescribing, dispensing and administering drugs electronically, as well as exploring how it can be used to aid with patient safety.

Better and Liverpool John Moores University have signed an agreement that will allow lecturers to build a demonstration version of OPENeP into the modules they teach.

Nursing students will use the system in modules on how to administer medicines and in the university’s ‘high fidelity simulation’ of a hospital environment.

In the pharmacy school, the system will be used by final year students and post-graduates.

Better has invited lecturers using the system to take part in OPENeP development meetings and the company is interested in their research and ideas.

OPENeP knowledge transfer manager Nina Pirc said: “We are pleased to have established this partnership with Liverpool John Moores University to share our knowledge with their students.

“We believe this partnership will set an example for the kind of partnerships that can be achieved between academia and industry, to create a two-way exchange of practical insights into clinical work.”

Kate Shemilt, senior lecturer in pharmacy and biomolecular sciences, said: “Where EPMA systems are being implemented by trusts, it is important for our students to be familiar with them.

“There is also a patient safety issue, because while there is evidence that EPMA improves patient safety, it can also raise new issues.

“We want our students to be aware of those issues, which will be common to all e-prescribing systems.”