Project Description

JDS Healthcare Corporation

JDS Healthcare communicates a wide variety of information for patients.

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The Pharmacist Network, a division of JDS Healthcare, is an innovative professional network that combines state-of-the-art telecommunications and software technologies to provide medication information and advice for patients throughout British Columbia. With the Pharmacist Network, individual callers are able to obtain up-to-date information about their medications from community pharmacists. This “first of its kind” network in North America links practicing healthcare professionals directly to patients using standard phone connections.

The real power of the network is behind the scenes. The goal of the system is offer ease of use for patients supported by a convergence of technologies that provide the best healthcare information possible. The need for a robust, easy to use knowledge base was key to the design and success of the network from its inception. Sponsored and contracted by the British Columbia Ministry of Health Services to provide medication information, over 10,000 calls have been placed to pharmacists using the system.

JDS Healthcare communicates a wide variety of information for patients. Keeping track of up to the minute policies, procedures and processes requires fast access to a broad range of information. Their goal is to provide pharmacists with quick answers to any question regarding medications for their patients. With 45 pharmacists linked to the network, the knowledge base needed to be updated frequently and easy to use. The need for speed is key. Because the information is being provided to patients based on their individual medical needs, the information must be accurate. The pharmacists provide patients with important information regarding the use of drugs and their possible effects.
With pharmacists situated in many locations, JDS needed a system that could potentially cover the entire country. The network would only be effective using a web based infrastructure connected to a centralized server where information could be uploaded and accessed using standard telephone connections. The volume of data would be high and would have frequent additions. Referencing and cataloging information needed to be done with a simple, quick to learn interface. The system had to be intuitive and adaptable to a diverse group of users who could quickly identify, locate and retrieve the information they needed.
The Novo Solutions knowledge base was able to be implemented quickly with users trained in minutes. Fast access to updated information and important issues like drug interactions can be communicated to callers in real time. Building the online knowledge base was a major boost for JDS’s image because of their ability to demonstrate the ability to harness the power of technology and provide a significant public health benefit. The Novo Solutions knowledge base software allowed them to achieve that capability because it worked well, was easy to implement and was fast to yield recognizable results.

The Pharmacists Network knowledge base offers all users a single source of up-to-date information in one place that is accessible from anywhere at anytime. The system is fully customizable allowing JDS Healthcare to build different databases for different users with different levels of authorization. The flexibility means they do not have to develop workaround solutions to accomplish their objectives. They are able to support the pharmacists community as well as support an e-learning environment with users logging on to the system to reinforce their personal knowledge and skills.

JDS Healthcare feels that the knowledge base solution is the most helpful and easy to update system available. With plans to develop and deploy increasingly larger FAQ modules, JDS will continue to extend the application into new areas further enhancing their core capabilities due to the systems’ inherent scalability.

As a sign of its success, the Pharmacist Network received the prestigious Patient Care Achievement Award for Innovation from the Canadian Pharmacists Association in May of 2004, providing a significant public relations boost to JDS Healthcare. The award recognizes their use of leading edge technology, including the advanced expert system to provide timely medication information and advice for those that are in need.

JDS feels that Novo Solutions “has put it all together and provides lots of flexibility” noting that the Novo Solutions technical team has been very responsive and helpful along the way.

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