Therapy – Electronic Medication Prescribing System Implemented in the SAk Emergency Department

Improved safety and better oversight

With the introduction of Therapy, medication orders and administrations will be recorded electronically upon the patient’s arrival in the Emergency Department. This ensures that information about medication treatment follows the patient between departments and is accessible upon admission, significantly increasing safety and reducing the likelihood of duplication and errors.

Collaboration across professions

The project was carried out through close, cross-disciplinary collaboration. The project manager was Jóna Valdís Ólafsdóttir, Head of Pharmaceutical Services, and the working group included Íris Gunnarsdóttir, pharmacist; Luciana Clara Paun, specialist at the IT department; Ármann Jónsson, emergency physician; Elísabet Björgvinsdóttir, Chief Physician of Orthopedics and Emergency Medicine; Kristín Ó. Ragnarsdóttir, Head of the Emergency Department; Kristín Hrönn Reynisdóttir, Assistant Head Nurse of the Emergency Department; Valdís Ösp Jónsdóttir, nurse in the Emergency Department; and Bergþór Steinn Jónsson, emergency physician. The project was carried out in good cooperation with the software companies Helix and Þula, which managed the technical components of the work.

“This is a major milestone in the hospital’s digital transformation and will both enhance patient medication safety and simplify staff workflow,” says Jóna Valdís. The Emergency Department Manager, Kristín Ó. Ragnarsdóttir, describes the implementation as extremely positive: “This is a very positive step for us in the Emergency Department and aligns with modern standards of no longer prescribing medications on paper.”

Alongside the implementation of Therapy, inventory management with the Alfa software solution was introduced in the Emergency Department. Alfa keeps track of the department’s medication supplies and automatically generates orders as needed.

Final step in integration ahead

The final step in establishing a fully electronic solution is underway, as a new integration tool between Therapy and Saga is being developed. Until it becomes available in early 2026, patient admissions and discharges in Therapy in the Emergency Department will be recorded manually. With the introduction of the new tool, this registration will become automatic and the process fully electronic.

This milestone was, understandably, celebrated in the Emergency Department.