Getting connected to IMVSHospitals
What are my FMD obligations as a hospital?
Hospitals and other healthcare institutions are obliged to verify the authenticity of medicines with safety features and decommission them before they are supplied to patients. This is done by checking that the anti-tamper device on the pack is intact and by scanning the 2D barcode on the pack and ‘decommissioning’ the pack via an Internet connection to the Irish Medicines Verification System. The scanning operation may take place any time after the medicines arrives in the hospital and the anti-tamper device check must be carried out at the time that the pack is supplied to a patient.
A key difference in FMD requirements between hospitals and community pharmacies is that verification and decommissioning of packs may take place between the pack being received in the hospital and being supplied to a patient. These means that decommissioning may take place at Goods Inwards in the pharmacy.
Certain medicinal products that carry safety features may be under the control of departments other than the hospital pharmacy, e.g. blood products managed by the hospital laboratory, fluids managed by Stores. It is important to ensure that arrangements are in place to ensure that these products are verified and decommissioned.
HSE hospitals and clinics
Implementation of FMD is managed centrally within the HSE.
If you are working in a HSE hospital or clinic and have any queries about getting connected to the IMVS or any aspect of FMD implementation in the health services, please email HSE.Support@ezfmd.com.
Private hospitals, clinics and other healthcare institutions
Private hospitals, clinics and other healthcare institutions that need to register with IMVO and connect to the IMVS should follow the same process as for community pharmacies.
Getting connected to the IMVS
You can find more information about getting connected to the IMVS here.
Alert investigation
When you scan the 2D barcode, an alert will be generated if the data in the barcode or the pack status (‘active’/’decommissioned’) doesn’t match what’s in the IMVS. Please follow the link to the guidance help pages contained within the alert message to investigate this alert.
IMVO may contact you from time to time for additional information on alerts generated in your pharmacy. If you have any queries about alerts for IMVO, please email alert.support@imvo.ie or phone us on +353-1-5715320.
Guidance
Scanning guidance
How to scan correctly – This short video demonstrates how to scan FMD packs and provides useful tips for scanning.
Check your scanner – Use the ‘IMVO Check your scanner’ guidance to test if your scanner is set up correctly. As part of checking your scanner you will need to determine which mode your scanner is in. The ‘Check your scanner’ guidance will tell you how to do this.
If you identify problems with your scanner after carrying out those tests, then proceed to the relevant ‘IMVO Fix your scanner’ guidance for your scanner make and mode. These documents should help you fix any problems with your scanner and set it up correctly.
Fix your scanner – If you identify problems with your scanner after checking it, then you need to ‘fix’ them. This is done by scanning a series of barcodes that will set your scanner to the correct configuration:
- The instructions for fixing the scanner depend on what make it is and the mode it is set up in (keyboard wedge or serial mode. Look at the scanner to see what make it is. See IMVO ‘Check Your Scanner’ for details of how to find out what mode it is in.
- IMVO has drawn up guidance on how to fix Datalogic and Honeywell scanners as these are the most commonly used FMD scanners in Ireland.
- If you have a Datalogic or Honeywell scanner, follow the instructions in the relevant ‘Fix Your Scanner’ guidance below. There are 4 different versions so use the one that corresponds to your scanner’s make and mode.
- If you are using any other make of scanner, your FMD software provider may be able to advise you on how to reconfigure it. Please also inform IMVO (Contact us) so that we can update our scanner guidance.
- If you’re unsure what to do next, please contact us at info@imvo.ie, including the make of your scanner in your email.
Datalogic Scanners
Honeywell Scanners
Guide to IMVS alerts and next steps
Information to follow
IMVO webinars for pharmacies & hospitals
For information on any upcoming webinars visit the News and Events page
PSI guidance
The PSI has a section on falsified medicines on its website with information for pharmacists.