Milwaukee WI -- The latest edition of our Customer Spotlight series, where we with our partners to get their first hand experiences on the impact of ConsortiEX software and services on their operations, features Jim Mangan, RPh., MBA at Cape Cod Healthcare. More specifically, we spoke with Mangan on how Assure-Trak® has been utilized across multiple sites to improve their compounding efficiencies.
Read the full transcript below:
Transcript:
- Historically speaking, what is the scope of the operation at Cape Cod Healthcare (Cape Cod Hospital & Falmouth Hospital)?
- The scope is one of a small hospital system of 340 beds. We use Assure-Trak® Batch to manage all non-patient specific Compounded Sterile Preparations (CSPs); we have used it to manage quarantined product waiting for release and also use the DSCSA solution (DSCSA Compliance as a Service), with Verify on Receipt® to be implemented shortly in both the acute care and retail service lines.
- Please explain the motivating factors leading to the partnership with ConsortiEX, to implement the Assure-Trak® Compounding Management System?
- Ernest Anderson introduced us to ConsortiEX about six years ago. We had been using a competing product from another vendor that did not have the scalability, customization, or level of support that ConsortiEX provides.
We brought on DSCSA Compliance as a Service at the same time - which has been fantastic. The products are well thought out, the implementation teams are easy to work with, and the support and follow-up after implementation has been superb. If we make recommendations to improve the software it doesn’t live on a list of things to consider, it gets acted on.
- How has your facility used the Assure-Trak® Compounding Management System to improve operations at both Cape Cod hospital and Falmouth hospital?
- Assure-Trak® really saved us during the Opioid syringe shortages of 2018, and for batched CSPs throughout COVID. Regardless of the product we were able to assure that a scalable and standardized process was consistently used for all CSPs.
- Historically speaking, what is the scope of the operation at Cape Cod Healthcare (Cape Cod Hospital & Falmouth Hospital)?
- The scope is one of a small hospital system of 340 beds. We use Assure-Trak® Batch to manage all non-patient specific Compounded Sterile Preparations (CSPs); we have used it to manage quarantined product waiting for release and also use the DSCSA solution (DSCSA Compliance as a Service), with Verify on Receipt™ to be implemented shortly in both the acute care and retail service lines.
- Please explain the motivating factors leading to the partnership with ConsortiEX, to implement the Assure-Trak® Compounding Management System?
- Ernest Anderson introduced us to ConsortiEX about six years ago. We had been using a competing product from another vendor that did not have the scalability, customization, or level of support that ConsortiEX provides.
We brought on DSCSA Compliance as a Service at the same time - which has been fantastic. The products are well thought out, the implementation teams are easy to work with, and the support and follow-up after implementation has been superb. If we make recommendations to improve the software it doesn’t live on a list of things to consider, it gets acted on.
- How has your facility used the Assure-Trak® Compounding Management System to improve operations at both Cape Cod hospital and Falmouth hospital?
- Assure-Trak® really saved us during the Opioid syringe shortages of 2018, and for batched CSPs throughout COVID. Regardless of the product we were able to assure that a scalable and standardized process was consistently used for all CSPs.
- What about Assure-Trak® makes it an ideal solution for multi-site compounding processes?
- The customization is far and away the best part of the software, followed closely behind by the traceability of every step in the process. If you can’t measure and track a process it can be prone to errors. Assure-Trak® gives us the tools and reporting to be able to follow a product all the way through the compounding process and provide documentation of each step along the way.
- Based on your experience, what are some best-practices you’ve been able to implement using Assure-Trak® Compounding Management System?
- Standardized ingredients, standardized preparation steps, compliant BUDs, traceable workflows are all best practice behaviors we have been able to hardwire thanks to Assure-Trak®.
- How could other health systems benefit from Assure-Trak®?
- If you are looking for a compounding management software that gives the flexibility to customize to the daily demand (shortage related, 503b closures, or even new CSPs for your system) then Assure-Trak® is the program to look at. We have used it successfully for many years and find it to be an essential tool for our teams.
- Do you feel that the Assure-Trak® Compounding Management System has equipped your team to meet the upcoming USP<797> compliance regulations?
- Assure-Trak® provides the flexibility to keep ourselves compliant with whatever regulatory change we are facing, yet rigid enough to ensure consistent and reliable outcomes.
- What has your experience been with the ConsortiEX Product Development Team? What are the most beneficial enhancements that have been adopted based on your feedback?
- We were an early adopter and several of my managers provided feedback on how to better leverage the software at an enterprise level. The development team took the time to understand the ask, but also more importantly the ‘why’ behind it. They worked through the software changes and in relatively short order asked us to beta test it before it was released to everyone. ConsortiEX is a great partner to CCHC.
- Please describe your experiences with the Assure-Trak® implantation teams (project management, clinical services, and technical groups) in the design, build, testing and training that lead up to Go-Live.
- Couldn’t say enough positive things about the team. Everyone wants us both to succeed, and worked very hard to ensure everyone here was thoroughly trained on the software. Like anything new there are always post go-live struggles, but implementation was very smooth.
- What experience, if any, do you have with the ConsortiEX Support Team?
- Support is very good at identifying issues. We used to be in touch with them somewhat frequently around the time of go-live, but are less so now. We did have some issues with print servers a while back, but they were super responsive regardless of the time of day and did whatever they needed to so we were back live in short order.
---
Thank you for reading this edition of ConsortiEX Customer Spotlight’s, don’t forget to check out past spotlights to learn more about the impact of Assure-Trak®.
If you have specific questions around how Assure-Trak® can improve your compounding operation, please contact us today!