Overview
Initiative type
Model of Care
Status
Deliver
Published
June 2026
Summary
A statewide enhancement of the ieMR Pharmacy Care Organiser consolidated key clinical information into a single view, improving real time prioritisation and workflow efficiency for clinical pharmacists.
Dates: June 2023 - August 2025
Implementation sites: Queensland statewide
Partnerships: Statewide electronic pharmacy advisory group (SEPAG)
Aim
To optimise the Pharmacy Care Organiser to enable pharmacists access to essential clinical information in one centralised view for efficient, informed workload prioritisation.
Outcomes
- Improved visibility of key patient information, reducing the need to open individual charts.
- Enhanced workflow efficiency and prioritisation for clinical pharmacists.
- Increased end user satisfaction with the relevance and usability of the tool.
- Strengthened engagement through a feedback driven digital improvement process, supporting sustained enhancements to clinical practice.
Background
The Pharmacy Care Organiser (PCO) is a pharmacist facing tool within the integrated electronic medical record designed to support real time patient prioritisation through customisable lists and data columns. When first introduced in 2020, its configuration provided a list of patients and any new medication orders, but limited access to essential clinical information. Pharmacists were required to open individual patient charts to determine clinical needs, creating inefficiencies and increasing cognitive load, particularly in high volume clinical environments. As digital workflows matured and expectations evolved, it became clear that consolidating relevant information into a single, centralised view would better support timely, informed decision making.
The initial design did not fully reflect the diversity of clinical pharmacy workflows across Queensland Health, and users identified gaps in the availability of key data points needed for safe and efficient prioritisation. These issues prompted a statewide effort to enhance the PCO in a way that aligned with real world practice and supported consistent, patient centred care. The PCO is accessed by 350 pharmacists on an average weekday, across 89 Queensland Health facilities. Any improvements to the PCO have state-wide workflow impacts, which directly impact patient care in Queensland. Streamlined patient prioritisation may improve patient care and ensure that the right patients are seen at the right time, improving pharmacy service delivery and workload efficiency. The main benefit is reduction in medication harm, as those who are at higher risk of medication-related problems are targeted for an earlier pharmacy review.
Methods
Enhancements to the PCO were developed through a structured, feedback driven improvement process. Existing columns were reviewed and refined, and new customised columns were added to the standard statewide configuration in response to user identified needs. This work was undertaken in alignment with departmental digital change procedures to ensure safe, controlled implementation.
Engagement occurred with pharmacists across multiple sites to understand local workflows, identify clinical priorities, and validate the relevance of proposed customisations. The statewide working group that supported the initial rollout remained actively involved, providing continuity and expert insight. Iterative updates were implemented based on ongoing feedback, forming a continuous improvement cycle that ensured the tool evolved in line with clinical practice.
Discussion
Successful enhancement of the PCO required strong engagement with end users, recognition of diverse clinical workflows, and a structured digital change environment. Collaboration across sites ensured that updates were clinically relevant and adaptable to local priorities. The continuous feedback cycle proved essential, enabling identification of improvement opportunities and maintaining alignment with user needs. Key lessons included the importance of early and ongoing consultation, the value of a statewide working group to maintain consistency, and the need to balance standardisation with flexibility.
Limitations included variability in local digital maturity and the challenge of designing a configuration that meets broad statewide needs while remaining intuitive for daily use, as well as technical capability. The project demonstrates strong potential for broader application across Queensland Health wherever digital tools support clinical prioritisation and workflow management. Next steps include continued refinement of custom columns and ongoing engagement to ensure the PCO remains responsive to evolving clinical practice.
References
Alshaikhmubarak FQ, Abuzour A, Lewis P. Using pharmaceutical prioritisation tools to improve patient care. Pharm J. 2026 Feb 10. Available from: https://pharmaceutical-journal.com/article/ld/using-pharmaceutical-prioritisation-tools-to-improve-patient-care
Key contact
Jenny Lee-Peters
Senior Application Specialist
eHealth Queensland