ABSTRACT
Hemophilia is an inherited disease caused by the lack of a specific clotting factor in blood, which leads to significant and sometimes life-threatening bleeding. The hemophilia clotting factors used in Ireland now are not derived from blood but are recombinant products, produced by genetic engineering in cell culture-based systems and subject to stringent safety procedures. St. James's Hospital, Dublin (SJH) has developed a comprehensive integrated program based on continuous quality improvement (CQI) to improve patient care. The program is composed of four strands: electronic patient record (EPR), a cold chain delivery system, the appointment of barcodes (GS1 global standards), and a smartphone scanning app. The introduction of the EPR replaced the previous hospital chart, which was a paper record and not always available at clinic or at night. The EPR allows hospital staff rapid access to key medical information. It also allows close monitoring of the quality of the service provided by the hospital.
