Ambulancezorg Limburg is leading the way in digital medication prescription

From paper prescriptions to digital assurance

When a resident of Limburg has medical symptoms but is unable to go to the GP or hospital, Ambulancezorg Limburg is ready to help. Ambulancezorg Limburg not only provides acute care but also care for patients at home through Master’s-level doctors, nursing specialists and physician assistants (MAZ). This concerns care that is normally provided by GPs (primary care) and treatments that usually take place in the hospital (secondary care).

Until recently, MAZ staff prescribed medication in a roundabout way: prescriptions were prepared as PDFs, printed and physically taken to the pharmacy or handed to the patient. This method was not only cumbersome, but it also did not fully comply with applicable laws and regulations. Thanks to Enovation’s Medication Prescription, Ambulancezorg Limburg can now issue prescriptions digitally, safely and efficiently.

Martijn Mesters (Acute Care Nurse Practitioner at Ambulancezorg Limburg) and Evert Zandbergen (account manager for acute care at Enovation).

Compliant with new legislation

The new Electronic Data Exchange in Healthcare Act (Wegiz) requires prescriptions to be sent digitally as of 1 January 2024. A paper prescription can only be used in exceptional situations or in cases of force majeure. For Ambulancezorg Limburg, this was the perfect moment to take the step towards digital prescriptions.

Martijn Mesters, Acute Care Nurse Practitioner at Ambulancezorg Limburg, explains what his team was looking for: ‘We wanted to comply with laws and regulations and ensure that we were prescribing medication safely. Our intended solution had to enable digital prescriptions, medication monitoring and be linked to the National Exchange Point (LSP). You want to be certain that you make the right choices, even when you are at a patient’s home and don’t have all the information,’ Martijn explains. ‘With a link to the LSP, we will soon be able to view intolerances, contraindications, allergies and recent medication prescriptions. That gives confidence and safety.’

Collaboration that builds trust

‘Enovation’s Medication Prescription turned out to be the only solution that met all our requirements,’ Martijn continues. ‘In early 2024, we were given access to a demo version. We could see exactly how digital medication prescription works. When I showed this test environment to my colleagues, we soon agreed that this was the solution we were looking for.’

The implementation went smoothly. Tasks for the software rollout were allocated and progress monitored via the Basecamp platform. ‘The collaboration with Enovation was very pleasant,’ says Martijn. ‘Contact was easy and our questions were answered quickly. We had regular consultations and could always ask questions in between. That gave us a lot of confidence in the process.’

Powerful system

Ambulancezorg Limburg followed an e-learning course so that all colleagues could get the most out of the solution’s possibilities. ‘We went into it with an open mind and initially saw it as a digital prescription pad,’ says Martijn. ‘But we soon discovered how powerful the system is.’

The team created its own formulary: an overview of commonly used drugs with the correct dosage and administration information. This helps the MAZ find and select the right medication more quickly. Furthermore, Ambulancezorg Limburg linked protocols to decision rules. By answering questions about the patient’s condition, employees automatically arrive at a specific clinical picture and the right medication in the correct dosage.

Martijn Mesters using Medication Description on his laptop.

More insight and security through an LSP connection

Ambulancezorg Limburg already works with Enovation Mail for secure communication and is looking forward to the LSP connection, which will be implemented this year. Via the LSP, the MAZ will soon be able to request data relevant to their role: intolerances, contraindications, allergies and medication issued in the past three months. Consent is valid for 72 hours and is recorded in the presence of the patient. Ambulancezorg Limburg is also exploring options to further streamline this process in the future via Mitz, a central consent registration system.

Evert Zandbergen, account manager for acute care at Enovation, looks back on an interesting and successful process. ‘For me as an account manager, it is nice to work together when you are able to consult directly with the end users. From the very beginning, we have listened carefully to the needs of the MAZ employees at Ambulancezorg Limburg. This allowed us to tailor the product and configuration as closely as possible to practical use.’

Unique in ambulance care

The use of an electronic prescription system with digital prescription dispatch and an LSP link for medication is new in ambulance care. Ambulancezorg Limburg is the first regional ambulance service (RAV) to issue digital prescriptions thanks to Medication Prescription. Later, RAV Brabant Midden-West-North followed this example.
Connecting other ambulance services offers Ambulancezorg Limburg economies of scale: the more ambulance services that connect to Enovation’s electronic prescription system, the lower the costs. In addition, the various RAVs can support each other in developing a more complete joint formulary.

Digital prescriptions as a new standard

With Medication Prescription, Ambulancezorg Limburg ensures safe, efficient and future-proof care. The team can now act faster, ensure medication safety and provide better patient support. Interested in finding out what Medication Prescription can do for your organisation? Please contact us and we will be happy to tell you more.