Published on 3 August 2022

The early transition of the Melton and Bacchus Marsh Pharmacy Departments to the Western Health Merlin application is already having a positive impact.

The two sites were uplifted from their previous system (iPharmacy) to Merlin in the space of just three weeks, bringing all Western Health sites and Pharmacies under a single integrated system.

Melton Acting Senior Pharmacist Thao Thai said the transition to Merlin had been greatly welcomed, and praised the team behind the implementation.

“It’s so great to have all the pharmacy departments at all sites on the one system now,” Thao said.

“It helps with patients that might go between sites, so their information is available at all sites, and also our stock is visible everywhere so if we need to share stock across different sites that is far easier and improves our service delivery.

“All the teams have worked really hard to get this done. It’s something that had always been on the books to get done, but the fact that during June we all put our heads together, got really into it and got it done was a great effort from everyone.

“It’s been every part of the project doing their little bit to get this all done which has made it possible. A real team effort”.

Throughout the transition, staff at Melton and Bacchus Marsh were trained in how to use the new software and several technology improvements were also made at both sites, including upgraded Wi-Fi and the addition of new printers and laptops.

Bacchus Marsh Clinical Pharmacist Robert Setiokusumo said the uplift had been met with great enthusiasm by his pharmacy team.

“Most hospitals use Merlin now, so to be standardised with them makes things easier for us,” Robert said.

“We have a lot of appreciation from all the departments here that we were able to complete the transition to Merlin so quickly, and also to complete the first of many big technology implementations for us.

“It’s made my job far easier, being able to look for stock elsewhere, work with finance and transportation and also just day-to-day duties, so we’re all really excited for more upgrades to our technology in future.”

Ashleigh Neagle led the early transition to Merlin project for Western Health, with thanks to Grace Crowe, Mahmoud Khaled and the Digital Health team, Pharmacy Department (Kent MacMillan, Ashlea Shaun, and Thao Thai), Digital Technology Services (Frank Berardi and Lovey Mathur), and Merlin Administrator George Tsironis for their invaluable contributions.

Robert Setiokusumo in the Bacchus Marsh Pharmacy

 

Ashleigh Neagle and Thao Thai in the Melton Pharmacy