The Discharge Medicines Service (DMS) becomes a new Essential service that pharmacy contractors will have to provide from 15th February 2021. NHS Trusts will refer patients to their community pharmacy if they find that they may benefit from having extra support and guidance on changes to their medication.
Specific details on the service and further resources can be found on the PSNC DMS page.
The Discharge Medicines Service (DMS) Manager is currently for users in England only.
The DMS Manager allows users to track and keep an updated record of patient referrals and what stage the referrals are in. It is used for patients that have been in hospital and have had a medication change during their stay.
There are a number of reasons their medication may have changed including inappropriate drugs and drug interactions.
When the pharmacy receives a referral they will have 72 hours to complete stage 1 and no restrictions for stages 2 and 3.
For more information about the requirements and stages of the DMS, click Here
The DMS Manager
To access the DMS Manager, click and select DMS Manager.
Use the table below as a guide to the options on this screen.
Configure the DMS Manager
-
- Click and select Edit Application Settings in Settings..
The Edit Application screen is displayed. - In the Categories section, select DMS.
- Use the table below as a guide to the options on this screen.
DMS Enabled Select this option to enable DMS. For users in England only.
Print Label Where User Has Active DMS Record Select this to print a label after dispensing when the patient has a DMS record. This function is disabled by default.
DMS overdue period (days) This refers to the number of days a DMS record has not been updated and past this an alert will be displayed when the number is reached. This number is set to 30 by default.
Prompt to complete next DMS stage If a patient has an active DMS record, after the medication(s) have been dispensed, a prompt will be displayed asking to complete the next stage. This function is enabled by default.
- Click and select Edit Application Settings in Settings..
Add a new referral
- From the DMS Manager screen, select New Referral.
The Search Patient screen is displayed.
- On the Search Patient screen, search for and select the required patient.
- If the selected patient already has a DMS record, an alert will be displayed. Click No to stop the referral or Yes to continue.
- The New DMS screen is displayed:
- Complete the following sections:
- Discharge Advice.
- Patient Hospital Number: Enter the patient’s NHS number if known.
- Date Referral Received: Select the date the referral was received.
The Date Referral Received field is mandatory. - Discharging Consultant: Enter if known.
- Discharge Consultant Contact Details: Enter if known.
- Patient Discharged Form: Enter the ODS code if known.
- Referral Received Via: Select the appropriate option.
The Referral Received Via field is mandatory.
- Discharge information.
- Select Yes or No, and select the appropriate responses as required.
This is a mandatory section.
- Select Yes or No, and select the appropriate responses as required.
- Medication.
- Click Select Medication and either select New Item to add a new medication to the patient’s record or select the appropriate medication(s) and click OK.
- Select the reason why the medication is on the referral.
This is a mandatory section.
- GP Details.
- If the details are not already displayed, click Change Prescriber and enter the appropriate prescriber. You will be prompted to update the patient’s PMR.
- Pharmacist Details.
- If the details are not already displayed, click Select Pharmacist and select the appropriate pharmacist.
- Discharge Advice.
- Click Save.
The three stages required of the DMS will now be displayed. You can learn more about them Here.
ETP Screen
From the ETP screen, any patient’s with an active DMS record will have a purple DMS icon: .
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