The Health Innovation Network Polypharmacy programme is working with healthcare professionals to address problematic polypharmacy by supporting easier identification of patients at potential risk from harm from multiple medications. Our evidence-based polypharmacy Action Learning Sets (ALS) are being rolled out across England to support GPs, pharmacists and other healthcare professionals who undertake prescribing or medication reviews to understand the complex issues around stopping inappropriate medicines safely. To drive and accelerate changes in practice, delegates complete a quality improvement project to address problematic polypharmacy in their workplace. This poster summary, Harnessing Digital Tools in Medicines Optimisation to tackle Health Inequalities, can be viewed here. For more information about the polypharmacy programme, please visit https://thehealthinnovationnetwork.co.uk/programmes/medicines/polypharmacy/

1. Ease and efficiency of using AnalyseRx
compared to existing ways of working
• 100% users reported AnalyseRx integration
improved current ways of working
• 100% users reported AnalyseRx was
quicker to use
• 100% users would recommend
AnalyseRx to a friend or colleague
Modelled benefits
Modelled benefits of roll-out across
Durham EMIS estate based on the pilot results
(time period 8 weeks):
Equating to a total potential ROI of 7:1
Based upon data analysis from AnalyseRx
deployed in practices across England. County
Durham EMIS practices (covering 79,832 patients)
could potentially make the following savings:
FDB AnalyseRx Pilot
Harnessing Digital Tools
in Medicines Optimisation
to tackle Health Inequalities
Michelle Fullard
Medicines Optimisation Pharmacist, NENC
Vicky Damani
Clinical Account Manager, FDB UK Ltd
Aisling Molloy
Clinical Account Manager, FDB UK Ltd
References
FDB AnalyseRx® Post-Trial Report, County Durham (Chester-Le-Street PCN) (available on request)
NENC Digital Strategy: https://northeastnorthcumbria.nhs.uk/media/5jdnarmg/nenc-ics-digital-strategy-2020_v3-2-1.pdf
Acknowledgments
Chester Le Street PCN
Further information about AnalyseRx
www.fdbhealth.co.uk/AnalyseRx
Introduction
FDB AnalyseRx is a fully integrated digital
medicines optimisation solution which
allows primary care teams to collaborate within
EMIS Web, without the need to build, run or
refresh searches.
The solution tracks the progress of current and
unactioned medicines optimisation interventions
for each patient, helping to avoid duplication and
unnecessary patient recall.
At a time in the NHS when efficiency and improved
access is key, Durham Medicines Optimisation
Team seized on the opportunity to pilot AnalyseRx.
Method
• 8 week trial (Nov22-Jan23)
• 2 EMIS practices
• 15,811 patients
• Local projects devised to help the team
assess the impact of AnalyseRx on:
• Prescribing Safety & Quality
• Prescribing Budget
• Clinician Workflow
• Results used to model the benefits
at place and ICB level
Results
Safety and quality - Demonstration of
potential for Whole System Improvement
• 99/141 overdue High-Risk Drug
monitoring opportunities resolved
• 19/24 patients started on
gastroprotection due to bleed risk
• 12/30 patients requiring High Priority review
received an intervention of care to prevent
hospital admission e.g. specialist referral,
dose adjustment, repeat monitoring
• 33/41 patients had medication adjusted to
align with MHRA safety updates advice
• 86 additional opportunities were resolved,
largely supporting care of long-term conditions,
outside of the trial focus areas through
routine day-to-day use of AnalyseRx
Ability to identify and action
prescribing budget savings
• Prescribing savings of £4,531 (annualised)
through actioning of cost saving opportunities
solely through actioning 2 opportunities
and ad-hoc usage for the trial
"We've had a very positive
experience with the trial
process and AnalyseRx itself.
We feel the ease, efficiency,
and accuracy of being able to
identify and action
opportunities has enabled us
to make a big impact on
tackling medicines
optimisation priorities in some
of the busiest and challenging
months for GP practices.
We're absolutely certain we
could have achieved even
more had it not been for the
unprecedented demand on
clinicians in December 2022."
Dr. Esther Sheard
GP Partner, Great Lumley and Prescribing Lead
County Durham Sub-ICB
Patient safety
• 45 preventable hospital admissions due to
adverse drug events with potential savings
of £137K
• Patient safety ROI: 4:1
Operational efficiencies
• 1,560 hours released due to workforce
efficiencies which equates to a value of £39.5K
• Efficiency ROI: 1.4:1
Prescribing budget
• Potential savings of £52K if 25% of the total
savings identified within AnalyseRx are actioned
• Prescribing budget ROI: 2:1
Next steps
Currently deploying across Durham, and then roll out
to EMIS practices across North East North Cumbria
Integrated Care Board.
Conclusions
All success criteria achieved,
demonstrating the key benefits
of AnalyseRx on whole-system
improvement in best practice
prescribing and patient safety
as well as direct ROI.
All users agreed it saved time and helped to
improve patient access
AnalyseRx can help patients to receive the
right intervention at the right time, supporting
the region’s goal to improve the health and
life-expectancy of the local population in line
with the national average.
Operational
efficiencies
£39.5K
Prescribing
budget
£52K
Total
potential
ROI 7:1
Patient
safety
£137k