Increased use of electronic medication charts in aged care facilities could transform outcomes for the elderly, improving prescribing and management of medication and reducing harm.

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With over 575,000 people estimated to be blind or vision impaired in Australia, and over 70 percent of them aged 65 or older, there is a pressing need for accessible tools to assist in daily tasks. Among the challenges faced by this population, medication management can be particularly daunting.

For this reason, ���سԹ�, a leading provider of medication management solutions, developed �±�����ٱ��-�貹��® Low Vision, a dose administration aid specifically designed to empower individuals with low vision to effectively manage their medications. As part of its commitment to Macular Month, an awareness campaign dedicated to raising awareness about macular degeneration, ���سԹ� aims to shed light on the importance of medication management for individuals with low vision.

“85% of people find it difficult to read medication labels due to visual impairments, leading to medication errors and incorrect dosages. The �±�����ٱ��-�貹��® Low Vision addresses this challenge by providing individuals with visual impairments the confidence to take their medications as prescribed by their doctors. By utilizing the �±�����ٱ��-�貹��® Low Vision, individuals with low vision can experience simplified medication routines and enhanced safety,” says Gerard Stevens AM, Managing Director of ���سԹ�.

 

The Webster-pak Low Vision features Low Vision Folder labels with white text on a black label, ensuring that medication information can be easily read and understood. Additionally, braille identification allows individuals to navigate and identify their medications according to the prescribed schedule, promoting independence and accuracy in medication administration.

Consolidating multiple medications into a single pack eliminates the need for multiple pill bottles, streamlining the medication routine and enabling efficient management. The organised compartments of the Webster-pak Low Vision reduce the likelihood of medication errors, providing peace of mind for individuals and their caregivers.

Recognising the need for accessible solutions, ���سԹ� developed the �±�����ٱ��-�貹��® Low Vision in collaboration with Vision Australia and Blind Citizens Australia, two prominent organisations specialising in supporting individuals with visual impairments.��

“���سԹ� is committed to improving the lives of individuals with low vision by providing practical and effective solutions,” said Gerard Stevens, CEO of ���سԹ�. “The Webster-pak Low Vision is designed with their unique needs in mind, enabling them to manage their medications independently and accurately.”

 

���سԹ� encourages individuals with low vision, caregivers, and healthcare providers to explore the benefits of the Webster-pak Low Vision as an indispensable tool for medication management. By incorporating this innovative solution into their daily routines, individuals can experience improved medication adherence, enhanced safety, and greater independence.

Webster-pak Low Vision Contact Us

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Great chat over the weekend between Gerard Stevens and Peter Greco from Vision Australia Radio, regarding the importance of Parkinson’s medication and taking it at the right time. April is Parkinson’s Awareness Month and today in Australia, more than one person every hour will hear the words ‘you have Parkinson’s’ for the first time, making it a critical time to increase awareness about managing the disease.��

Listen to the interview

��

For further information, or to place an order, contact ���سԹ�’s Customer Service team on 1800 244 358 or email info@webstercare.com.au��

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Webster-pak 6 Dose (Parkinson's) Contact Us

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April is Parkinson’s Awareness Month, and World Parkinson’s Day is recognised on 11 April each year. Today in Australia, more than one person every hour will hear the words ‘you have Parkinson’s’ for the first time, making it a critical time to increase awareness about managing the disease.��

Parkinson’s Disease is a chronic and progressive neurodegenerative disorder that affects millions of people worldwide. Managing Parkinson’s medication can be challenging, as patients often require multiple medications at specific times throughout the day. However, using Webster-paks can improve medication management and reduce the risk of medication errors.

A Webster-pak is ��a medication management system that organises medication by time of day and dose, making it easy for patients to take the right medication at the right time. Developed in partnership with , the Webster-pak 6 Dose (Parkinson’s) solution accommodates up to six dosage times in one convenient medication pack. The distinctive fuchsia-coloured folder stands out to alert the user of specific dosage times, offering greater flexibility to increase treatments as the disease progresses and the therapeutic window narrows.

“Parkinson’s medication management is critical, as missing a dose or taking the wrong medication can lead to serious consequences such as increased tremors, muscle rigidity, and even hospitalisation. However, the use of Webster-paks can help patients and caregivers avoid medication errors and ensure medication compliance,” explains Gerard Stevens AM, medication expert, and inventor of the Webster-pak.

Pharmacist Rosemarie Mundy from Priceline Pharmacy Hamilton, says that the use of Webster-paks can be an effective tool for managing medications in patients with Parkinson’s disease, improving medication adherence, reducing medication errors, and improving quality of life.

“We have seen the benefits of a Webster-pak firsthand in our customers with Parkinson’s. The system simplifies medication management for both patients and caregivers and ensures that the medication is taken on time, which is crucial in managing Parkinson’s Disease.”

The extra dosage times accommodate the high frequency medication intervals required for complex medication regimens, like Parkinson’s disease. This offers greater flexibility to increase treatments as the disease progresses and the therapeutic window narrows. Medication dosage times can be fully customised by the prescriber to meet patient requirements, allowing individuals to control their treatment, and not be fixed to standard dosage times.

The Parkinson’s Webster-pak is equally useful for aged care facilities and home use.

“The Parkinson’s Webster-pak is particularly useful in aged-care facilities where there are often numerous medication rounds to be made which can make it very challenging to deliver medication on-time every time. Feedback from the pilot was that the bright colour helped a lot as a visual prompt to give those medications first and at exactly the right time.”

The Webster-pak system is available through pharmacies and can be customised to meet the individual needs of each patient. The system is simple to use, and patients receive clear instructions on how to take their medication.

On World Parkinson’s Day, Mr. Stevens encourages patients and caregivers to talk to their pharmacist or healthcare provider about using Webster-Paks to manage their medication.

“Webster-paks offer a smart solution for Parkinson’s medication management, providing patients with peace of mind and reducing the risk of medication errors. If you or a loved one is living with Parkinson’s Disease, talk to your pharmacist or healthcare provider about using Webster-Paks to manage your medication,” says Mr Stevens.

For further information, or to place an order, contact ���سԹ�’s Customer Service team on 1800 244 358 or email info@webstercare.com.au

Webster-pak 6 Dose (Parkinson's) Contact Us

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Aged Care Today Magazine – Autumn 2023

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To give you peace of mind, make sure your eNRMC provider can fulfil the following requirements:

• All medicines, including S8s, can be prescribed without a paper-based prescription.
• Data access is real-time, supported by the Cloud, but can also operate offline in WiFi blackspots. This is especially important in rural and remote areas.
• It is an end-to-end system that supports direct communication between the aged care home, the prescriber and the pharmacist. Having to use phone, fax and standard email adds confusion and unnecessary steps in the process.
• There is flexibility in the type of medication packing systems available to meet the differing needs of consumers.
• There is interoperability throughout the system and its components.
• The functionality is streamlined so no need to log in and out of system components.

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Almost four million or about 1 in 6 Australians have a form of that complicates how they live their lives every day. By 2030, it is projected there will be 5.4 million Australians with arthritis.��

Treatments vary depending on disease type and severity, but medication to relieve pain is commonly used and sought. However, there are many barriers to medication adherence and one that is often overlooked is the ability of the patient to easily open medication packaging.

Many people who take multiple medications, such as those with arthritis, often use medication management tools, such as a �±�����ٱ��-�貹��® to help them adhere to their regimens. But if the user has arthritis, they may find the packaging difficult to open. It can compromise their regular access to pain-relieving medication.

Founder of ���سԹ� and the inventor of the Webster-pak, Gerard Stevens AM understood these challenges when he invented two devices to specifically help people with dexterity issues such as people with arthritis.

Medication requires secure and safe storage so the materials used to perfectly seal them into blister packs needs to be of high and robust quality,” he said.

But people can sometimes have trouble pushing through a blister pack to access pills due to the build-up of pneumatic pressure within the plastic blister itself.��

We went about improving this situation and developed a simple innovation, called a concertina blister, that reduces that pressure. Now all ���سԹ� medication adherence tools such as the Webster-pak are easier to open because of this innovation,” he said.��

The patented* Concertina blisters come in a range of sizes and are ideally suited to self-medicating clients and busy nursing staff. Each blister is connected to its neighbours by twin air channels.

The air channels ‘act like a valve’. As you push down, air is expelled through the channels into the next blister, reducing the pressure needed to open the pack by 46%. The small and medium sizes also have collapsing side ridges. They allow the blister to compress like a mini accordion to make opening it even easier, explains Mr Stevens.

But sometimes extra frailty, pain or severe dexterity issues can hamper access even further. For such people, Mr Stevens developed the �ʾ���-���Dz�® – a simple device that is easy and intuitive to use. The �ʾ���-���Dz�® has been designed to make the removal of medication from �±�����ٱ��-�貹��® systems even easier and more hygienic.

When I first conceived the idea of the �ʾ���-���Dz�®, its first iteration was just a piece of PVC pipe with a base and plastic serrated tongue attached. I gave it to my late mother, who was using a Webster-pak, and asked her what she thought it was for.

Without prompting, she punctured the blister with the serrated tongue, wiggled it and let the pills drop into the cup. For me it was the perfect demonstration of proof of concept and we went full steam ahead to manufacture the Pil-Bob. It’s now used around the world,” he said.

The �ʾ���-���Dz�® is ideal for individuals who suffer from arthritis, as well as those with poor eyesight or dexterity. It is suitable for aged care staff, self-medicating residents and carers helping people to administer medication.

There is also a Cytotoxic �ʾ���-���Dz�®, used specifically to remove cytotoxic medications from �±�����ٱ��-�貹��® systems and help reduce the risk of cross contamination between medications and users.

To learn more about the Pil-Bob invention and other ���سԹ� medication adherence systems click the below.

�ʾ���-���Dz�® Accessories

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���سԹ� Recognised As Top 10 Most Innovative Company in Australia 2020

Today, ���سԹ� was honoured to be recognised as one of Australia and New Zealand’s Most Innovative Companies. The prestigious annual list, published by The Australian Financial Review and Boss Magazine, is based on a rigorous assessment process managed by Australia’s leading innovation consultancy, Inventium, in conjunction with a panel of industry expert judges.

���سԹ� was honoured to rank #4 on the healthcare list, for the second year in a row, from over 600 nominated organisations across Australia and New Zealand. The assessment measures a top innovation implemented in the past two years. Specifically, the judges look at how valuable the problem is that the innovation is solving, the quality and uniqueness of the solution, and the level of impact that the innovation has had. Inventium also assesses internal elements such as innovation culture, strategy, resources and process, which demonstrate a sustainable and repeatable approach to innovation.

���سԹ� was thrilled to be recognised for their role in the launch of the , a new clinical document within My Health Record to reduce medication-related problems in Australia, and specifically those experienced by Australia’s older population.

Working with the Australian Digital Health Agency for two years planning and developing the protocols and security requirements for the software, ���سԹ� became the first to use the PSML in December 2019.

We are very honoured to be recognised on the AFR Boss Most Innovative Healthcare Companies List for our involvement with the Pharmacist Shared Medicine List (PSML). Many of our patients using our dose administration aids are older Australians. Our �±�����ٱ��-�貹��® medication pack provides assistance to ensure they are taking their medicines safely and at the right time each day, which may help them stay in their own home, instead of needing additional care,” says ���سԹ� Managing Director, Pharmacist and inventor of the Webster-pak, Gerard Stevens AM.

But the pack itself only contains those medicines taken orally and packed in the Webster-pak. The addition of the ��in My Health Record will allow pharmacists using ���سԹ� systems to better communicate the complete list of a consumer’s medicines in a single clinical document. This will make a big impact – for that person’s GP, specialist, clinician at the local hospital – by giving them a better understanding of the medicines that person is taking.”

The����is a consolidated list of medicines prepared by a pharmacist and uploaded to a patient’s My Health Record.��The PSML will compile both prescription and non-prescription medicines, including over-the-counter and complementary medicines, such as vitamins and herbal remedies.

The overview the PSML will provide for healthcare providers will enable them to make more informed prescribing and treatment decisions and assist in reducing medication mishaps.

Particularly relevant at times of transitions of care, the����is a comprehensive list of medicines at a specific point in time, such as on discharge from a hospital when a patient’s care is being transferred to another health care provider – a common occurrence in Australia’s elderly population.

Inventium is proud to announce the 2020 Most Innovative Companies list in conjunction with AFR. The global pandemic has truly given rise to the saying ‘necessity is the mother of invention’. We are thrilled to recognise many organisations who have successfully pivoted their offerings and relished the opportunity for change.”

Dr Amantha Imber, Founder, Inventium

ABOUT WEBSTERCARE®

���سԹ�® is an industry leader in medication management. Committed to delivering quality solutions with a focus on patient and resident safety. 

Gerard Stevens AM, company’s founder and a registered Pharmacist, has a relentless passion and commitment to research, development and better patient care. This had enabled ���سԹ� to remain at the forefront of this industry. Our innovations are used throughout the pharmacy, aged care, community and health sectors. This commitment has even led to better health outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. ���سԹ� has developed more than 600 products and services that each offer smart solutions to medication management.

ABOUT THE AFR BOSS MOST INNOVATIVE COMPANIES LIST

The AFR BOSS Most Innovative Companies list (previously the BRW Most Innovative Companies list) is now in its ninth year. The list ranks the most innovative organisations in Australia and New Zealand, by industry. It is the only national list of its kind. The list is judged and compiled by Inventium – Australia’s leading innovation consultancy. Inventium uses a unique, scientifically proven approach to help organisations grow through innovation. In 2020, the list comprised of ten industry lists, compiled from over 600 nominations.

www.mostinnovative.com.au

ABOUT INVENTIUM

Inventium is Australia’s leading behavioural science and innovation consultancy. Since 2007, Inventium has helped over 400,000 people become more innovative and more productive at work. Inventium applies the latest findings from science (psychology and neuroscience) to help organisations unlock growth through innovation. The official methodology partners of the AFR Most Innovative Companies list and the AFR Best Places to Work List. Inventium is also a proud BCorporation.

www.inventium.com.au

ABOUT THE AUSTRALIAN FINANCIAL REVIEW

For more than 50 years The Australian Financial Review has been the authority on business, finance and investment news in Australia. It has a reputation for independent, award-winning journalism and is essential read-ing for Australia’s business and investor community. The Australian Financial Review is owned by Fairfax Media Limited [ASX:FXJ], a leading multi-platform media company in Australasia.

Media contacts:

���سԹ�: Fleur Townley, Lanham Media, fleur@lanhammedia.com.au, 0405 278 758

Inventium: Gabby Webb, mic@inventium.com.au (03) 9018 7455

www.afr.com

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How DAAs are protecting the independence of patients and safeguarding quality medication management in home care.

Effective medication management plays a large part in maintaining safety and quality standards in home care. report found, 250,000 hospital admissions in Australia each year are due to medicine-related problems and half of these are preventable. Medication management is dictated by the policies, procedures and systems that care organisations have in place; but it can also be as simple as the efforts of family members and care providers, helping patients with their regular �±�����ٱ��-�貹��®. Regardless of who is providing the support, it’s important to have tightly regulated conditions to protect against potential hazards related to mismanagement of medications.

Effective medication management largely impacts the independence of patients. The , states that patients should be encouraged to safely manage their own medications for as long as possible. By providing medication support and encouraging self-administration, we can delay the need for patients to be admitted to hospitals and residential aged care facilities, while also improving their well-being and sense of self proficiency.

Dose Administration Aids (DAAs) such as the �±�����ٱ��-�貹��® medication pack, play an important role in medication management as they prompt and assist the user to take their medications correctly and on time. The key benefits of the Webster-pak medication pack include a colour patient photo, brightly coloured dosage times, individual blisters, a full list of medicines, and large fonts – also available in the patient’s native language. These carefully designed features prompt the patient or care provider when to take each medication.

Safety and quality guidelines dictate that unless care providers are registered nurses or supervised by a registered nurse, they are not able to administer, but only prompt and assist in the self-administration of medication. This is where DAAs, such as the �±�����ٱ��-�貹��® medication pack, are valuable as they eliminate the need for care providers to make clinical decisions around medication administration. With the help of the �±�����ٱ��-�貹��®, medication management is simplified to prompt and assist practices in line with correct medication support guidelines.

DAAs such as the �±�����ٱ��-�貹��®, satisfy the extended Rights of Medication Support by ensuring administration;

• To the Right Person
• By the Right Route (mouth, eye, ear, skin)
• Of the Right Number of Tablets
• At the Right Time
• Accompanied by the Right Documentation

The �±�����ٱ��-�貹��® goes further to also address the Rights of Medication Administration that only Registered Nurses are qualified to complete to ensure the;

• Right Medication
• Right Dose

The �±�����ٱ��-�貹��® simplifies the process of taking medications as its features address all the above criteria for safe administration. According to the Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation (ANMF), all DAAs must be tamper proof and checked by a pharmacist, which means the integrity of the doctor’s medication order remains unchanged and safe for the patient. It also means it does not require a registered nurse onsite to check the correct medication and dosage before administration. To reduce risk of medication mismanagement or incorrect administration, you need to eliminate the need for care providers to make any clinical decisions when assisting their patients. DAAs achieve this by addressing all rights of medication support and administration. By using a �±�����ٱ��-�貹��®, all care providers – even those without training such as family members, can prompt and assist the administration of medicines of the right amount, at the right time.

An effective medication management plan makes use of DAAs in line with a Home Medication Review by the Doctor. A Home Medication Review maintains best practices of administration, compliance and storage of medicines. The full management process also includes the use of a signing sheet for documenting when medication was given, and a PocketProfile to ensure a full list of all medications a patient is taking is readily available for all care providers.

In line with the Home Medications Review, the capacity of the individual to self-administer and manage their own medications must constantly be assessed. When reviewing the capacity of the individual, we determine the extent of their abilities and make a judgement on the degree of external assistance the individual needs to maintain safe medication management. It is important to note that with a DAA system such as the �±�����ٱ��-�貹��®, safe management can be maintained at all levels of capability. Whether the patient can fully self-administer, if they need a family member or care provider, or even a registered nurse to assist them, �±�����ٱ��-�貹��® allows you to administer the correct medication at the correct time.

At every possible opportunity patient independence must be protected by encouraging and supporting individuals to self-administer their medication. When safe medication management practices such as �±�����ٱ��-�貹��® DAAs are in place, we can maintain the independence of elderly people and reduce the risk of hospitalization due to incorrect management of their medications.

Learn more about the �±�����ٱ��-�貹��® medication pack or call 1800 244 358 now to speak to our Professional Services team.

Attendant Care Industry Association. (2008). Administration of Oral Medication in the Community by Attendant Care Support Workers.

Australian Pharmaceutical Advisory Council. (2006). Guiding Principles for Medication Management in the Community. Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing.

Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation. (2013). Nursing Guidelines: Management of Medicines in Aged Care.

. (2020). Medication Management in Home Care. [Video Webinar]

Pharmaceutical Society of Australia. (2019). Medicine Safety: Take Care. Available at                                                                                                                                           

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