BIQ Technology Solutions at Hospital de Cascais

When patients arrive at Hospital de Cascais, in Alcabideche, they need to take a ticket for admission. According to Vasco Antunes Pereira, President of the hospital, this is the only piece of paper patients will have in their hands during their stay. This is because Hospital de Cascais, a unit of the Portuguese National Health Service managed by Lusíadas Saúde, is one of the country’s most technologically advanced hospitals.

There are several examples. Medication dispensing, for instance, is managed electronically through a device that only allows the healthcare professional to retrieve the medication entered into the system for a specific patient. José Friães, Coordinator of the General Emergency Department, explains that medication is controlled through an electronic dispenser, helping to prevent errors related to medication administration. Each patient’s wristband also contains a unique code used for identification.

According to Rita Kadic, Director of Efficiency and Continuous Improvement, this closed-loop dispensing system is also used for newborn milk, blood products and meals. The aim is to further improve the safety of healthcare delivery. In the case of meals, for example, giving the wrong meal to a patient who has undergone intestinal surgery could have serious consequences.