In a move set to modernise the way hospitals manage high-risk medications, Northern Health is turning the page on paper logbooks and ushering in a digital future– one that promises precision, safety, and speed.
With the adoption of HS8, an electronic platform for tracking controlled medicines, the health service is improving safety and streamlining the behind-the-scenes pharmacy work that keeps patients safe.
Gone are the days of deciphering illegibility or spending hours reconciling paper records.
HS8 replaces manual medication registers with a sleek, user-friendly digital system designed to monitor the movement of Schedule 8 (S8) and Schedule 4D (S4D) medications in real-time.
Pharmacy deputy director David Harris said the system will transform the way controlled drugs are managed across the hospital.
“It will reduce administrative burden for our clinical staff, freeing up time to focus on direct patient care,” Mr Harris said.
“HS8 will mitigate risks associated with medication errors.”
Following a successful pilot in Pharmacy in February 2025, the platform is now being scaled up thanks to the efforts of pharmacy site leads Elise Simionato, Angelo Tonietto and Paula Parkins, and the pharmacy education team Jeff Khoshkaba and Ginny Dhillon.
Their goal? A smooth, tailored implementation that respects the clinical rhythms of nursing staff while ensuring compliance with the strict governance surrounding S8 and S4D drugs.
The first ward pilot will launch in July at Northern Hospital Epping’s ward 16 and Broadmeadows unit 1, marking a significant step toward smarter, safer medication management.
