Keys to Introducing a New Medication Management Solution

Keys to Introducing a New Medication Management Solution

Keys to Introducing a New Medication Management SolutionLast week, I wrote about the process of evaluating medication management solutions to find the best fit for your hospital to continue providing quality care for VA patients.

In other words, last week’s article described what you should be evaluating before making a decision. This week, I want to share insight on how you should implement your medication management solution after finding the best option for your VA facility.

Consider the following key strategies to help ensure a smooth transition to achieve your desired goals of operational savings and efficiency, compliance, and improved quality of care.

Position Yourself as the Internal Champion for the New Medication Management Solution

Now that your facility has selected a solution, you need to position yourself as the champion of the solution. You followed the right steps of involving key departments early in the process, discussed solutions with vendors, and identified KPIs tied to your facility’s goals. Now, you need to take charge leading the implementation process.

Action to Take

  • Communicate information about the selected solution to the individuals you consulted with early in the process.
  • Communicate the goals to achieve operational savings, become more efficient, comply with VHA policies, and improve patient care.
  • Continue to research the solution to gather as much information as possible.
  • Talk to colleagues who are familiar with the solution or other facilities who have used the solution.
  • Anticipate questions that will come up from stakeholders in your facility.

Formulate a Task Force to Support Your Solution

The process of implementing a new medication management solution will be challenging, especially navigating deeply-held preferences to the previous way of operating. Therefore, you need to create a new task force within your facility to discuss the solution, have open discussions, answer questions, and gather more feedback.

Action to Take

  • Ask helpful contributors from the pre-selection phase to join your task force.
  • Politely remove unhelpful contributors by noting that you are looking for different voices in this round of the process.
  • Recruit influencers who could be your co-champions for implementing the solution.
  • Involve new contributors from the executive level to the frontlines to gather different perspectives.
  • Gain understanding of the challenges that need to be addressed from top-to-bottom in the facility.

Achieve Universal Buy-In for Your Solution

When you reach the critical, make-or-break point of needing to obtain universal buy-in, this will require some time to be successful. Why? The solution will disrupt pre-existing routines and there may have been unanticipated issues that need to be smoothed out before complete implementation. Take your time to let the dust settle after the initial implementation phase and continue to work through real-time issues implementing the solution.

Action to Take

  • Communicate and reinforce the goals of operational savings, efficiency, compliance, and improved patient care.
  • Discover the source of unanticipated issues to understand how to resolve.
  • Continue to gather feedback from your task force and review their notes.
  • Communicate a timeline of addressing concerns and preparing for complete implementation.

How Can Talon Help Ensure a Smooth Transition?

The full process of implementing a medication management solution in a VA facility is time-consuming. There are many political and workflow issues that need to be navigated, massaged, and managed throughout the process.

Consider partnering with Talon as an extended teammate to help with the transition. Because we develop cabinet and cart solutions specifically for VA facilities, we understand your unique challenges.

We would appreciate the opportunity to discuss your implementation process and whether one of our products can help address a need in your facility. For a consultation, contact a Client Solutions Representative today!

Learn Which Talon Solution Is Right for You

Tell us what workflow you want to improve and we’ll recommend the ideal mix of Talon medication delivery products.