The Ardens Prescribing Monitoring searches assists practices with drug monitoring to ensure the correct tests are completed. It includes medications such as ACE inhibitors, levothyroxine, anticoagulants, DMARDs and more.
To locate the searches, access the Population Reporting module > Ardens Searches > 2.20 Prescribing - Monitoring folder.
To run the searches, right click on the individual search folder required and select the Run option. Patients that meet the criteria of the search will display in the report. To view the details of the report, select View Results from the ribbon. To view the search the report is based on, select Full Hierachy on the ribbon.
Please note - it is important to only run one folder at a time in order for the searches to run with no issues.
1. Invitation searches
This folder is divided into 3 subfolders.
The Annual Drug Monitoring folder and the High Risk Drug Monitoring folder each contain the same 3 subfolders.
The 1. Send invite folder identifies patients who are overdue for monitoring and require a first, second or third invitation. These are further broken down by those overdue for blood tests and those overdue for other monitoring, such as BP.
To identify which monitoring is needed, select Full Hierachy and use the Check Patient feature on the top-level search 'ANY prescribing monitoring overdue'.
Please note: Patients will appear in only one report. Those requiring blood tests may also need additional monitoring, such as BP. Patients who require ONLY non-blood monitoring, will appear solely in the non-blood drug monitoring folders.
The 2. Consider invite > EOL/LD/Dementia/SMI folder contains the same reports. However, these patients are coded with either EOL, a learning disability, dementia or SMI, and therefore, special considerations may be needed when inviting these patients.
The 3. Consider visit > Housebound/Care Home folder again contains the same reports. However, these patients are coded as either housebound or living in a care home, and you may, want to consider how you action this cohort.
Additionally, the Annual Drug Monitoring folder is further categorized by whether patients have a QOF long-term condition or not.
The Non-responders to invitations folder contains reports identifying patients whose monitoring is overdue, however they have already received three invitations in the last 1- 3 months, or have received more than six invitations in the last year. Practices may wish to contact these patients to ensure the appropriate monitoring is completed. Please note - patients will remain in these reports until all appropriate bloods are completed, therefore, there maybe patients that display in these reports where only part of their monitoring has been actioned and further reminders have been sent.
2. Registers and Monitoring - by drug
This search folder will identify patients overdue their drug monitoring and provides a breakdown by each drug.
Each subfolder contains various reports that identify patients on specific medications who are overdue for different types of monitoring.
Ardens Manager Report
The Ardens Manager Report allows practices to upload prescribing data to the Prescribing dashboard. Further details can be found in the following support article.
You may also find the Blood Test Due Analyser helpful to alert practice staff while in the record of any blood tests due for the patient and a prescribing monitoring alert displaying if additional monitoring is required (e.g. BP/BIM). The Drug Review template is available to enable recording of data on the initiation and monitoring of drugs.
If you require any further assistance on the process above, please contact Ardens support on: support-emis@ardens.org.uk