The Challenge
The health care industry is perpetually researching innovations and processes to improve patient care and outcomes. Through a multi-year collaboration, the Eshelman School of Pharmacy at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, the University of Minnesota, and the Alliance for Integrated Medication Management developed a new process and tools to integrate pharmacists into clinics to improve medication optimization and patient outcomes. This project was possible through the generous support of the Eshelman Institute for Innovation. To deploy the system more broadly, the group came to Rivers Agency to take their pen-and-paper process into the digital age.
The Solution
The organizations sought to digitize their research and projects to create a seamless experience for users, both in look and feel through branding, and with functionality between the different assessment and implementation tools. To translate the paper version to digital, Rivers conducted discovery sessions to understand the best way to present the groups’ research and how users would interact with the site and its tools.
The Results
The groups had two goals: The first was to raise awareness of the need for safe, effective, and appropriate use of medications. The second was to provide clinicians the tools and resources to optimize their patients’ medications in a comprehensive, patient-centered, and team-based manner.
Rivers designed and built the Optimizing Medications website and the Comprehensive Medication Management (CMM) Implementation System, which served as a blueprint for the implementation and improvement of CMM in a clinic-based setting that can be accessed via the site.
A third party created two interactive assessments and the Medication Therapy Problem (MTP) Documentation Tool. Rivers developed design assets for these tools, so that they would have the same look and feel. To simplify access to the site, Rivers created a Single Sign On (SSO) authentication process for users to log in once. After SSO, users could access all the tools housed on the site and collaborate with other clinicians. Throughout the site, Rivers designed custom iconography and illustrations to help guide users to the information and tools they need.
The new website and interactive tools provide a wealth of resources to users. Practitioners can use the site to find information on the latest policy news affecting the industry, connect with others to share best practices, and access a resource library.
The Bottom Line
“Rivers helped us translate our research findings on the implementation of pharmacist-driven CMM services into easy-to-follow steps, and then brought the process to life in an intuitive and inviting interface,” said Lori Armistead, PharmD, from the UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy. “By providing easier access to the tools we’ve developed, information on CMM best practices and connection to a variety of medication management resources, we expect this interactive platform will make a difference in patient outcomes and help reduce health care costs.”