Electronic medication management (eMM) systems can have a significant impact on efficiency and safety. There is limited evidence on the effects of eMM implementation on the physical location of work. The objective of this study was to evaluate the impact of eMM and associated hardware implementation on the location of tasks performed by doctors and nurses. 41.5 hours of observation were conducted in the oncology ward of a paediatric hospital. Tasks, locations and resources used were recorded pre and post eMM implementation. Results showed that a wider variety of locations were used to conduct tasks following eMM implementation. Post-eMM, more tasks were performed in the hallway, where medication trolleys with attached laptops were situated, and in patient rooms where additional computers were installed, providing more opportunities for patient/carer and clinician interaction. The findings from this study reveal the impact that computer placement has on the location of work for doctors and nurses, and the importance of planning hardware placement for eMM implementation.
Keywords: Medical order entry systems; computers; implementation; observational study.