Ms Emma Balazs
1Hark Medical, Melbourne, Australia
Biography:
Emma Balazs is the Director of Customer Experience at Hark Medical, leading strategies to maximise the impact of assistive technology in healthcare. With over 20 years in the sector, as an emergency nurse and in hospital policy, pharmaceutical, and medical device implementation, she specialises in transforming complex healthcare challenges into innovative solutions. Emma is committed to empowering patients, carers, and providers with technology that enhances quality of life, ensures compliance, and supports person-centred, risk-managed care.
Abstract:
Background:
In palliative care, PRN medications play a critical role in managing symptoms, yet strict dosage limits are essential to prevent harm. Many patients rely on carers or nursing staff for administration, which can reduce independence and place additional pressure on care teams.
Aims:
To evaluate the impact of SASHA, a connected medication management device, on patient independence, dignity and safety in palliative care, while supporting compliance and governance for providers.
Methods:
A 90-day trial was conducted at TLC Aged Care with a resident receiving palliative care and prescribed an S8 PRN medication. The medication was electronically prescribed by the doctor, dispensed in sachets by the pharmacist, and loaded into SASHA by care staff. The patient authenticated each dose via fingerprint, with SASHA securely releasing medication as needed. The device recorded all requests and administrations in real time, providing oversight of medication use and insights into patient needs. Feedback from the patient, nurses, and carers was collected to assess the impact on safety, quality of life, and care efficiency.
Results:
Over the trial period, SASHA prevented 99 medication administration attempts that would have been outside prescribed limits, reducing the risk of adverse drug events and ensuring timely pain relief. The device flagged repeated over-limit requests, triggering alerts to healthcare providers for medication review. SASHA maintained a high standard of vigilance comparable to nursing oversight while enabling safe resident self-management.
Conclusion:
By integrating prescribing, dispensing, administration, and adherence tracking into a single connected system, SASHA enhanced safety, oversight, and symptom control in palliative care. The device supported high-quality, person-centred care by improving independence and dignity for the resident. SASHA also reduced workload for carers and staff, and ensured full compliance with governance requirements.
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