The Brome-Missisquoi-Perkins Foundation (BMP Foundation) is launching the 8th edition of its Oktoberfest fundraiser with all proceeds raised going towards the purchase of two decentralized automated cabinets for the Brome-Missisquoi-Perkins Hospital (BMP Hospital). 

The BMP Foundation typically organizes various fundraisers throughout the year, including Oktoberfest, for a number of different projects and initiatives in support of the BMP Hospital. This year however, the group has decided to concentrate all of its fundraising efforts on purchasing the two decentralized automated cabinets for the hospital’s Birthing Pavilion and Operating Room to help store and administer medication more securely. 

According to a press release sent out by the BMP Foundation, errors in the administering of medicine account for a high number of reported incidents in Quebec hospitals. 

A report published by the Ministry of Health and Social Services for the 2021-2022 fiscal year on “incidents and accidents occurring during the provision of health care and social services in Quebec” notes that medicine or “medication-related events” account for 24.55 per cent of the 444,756 “adverse events” that were reported between April 1, 2021 and March 31, 2022.

“There’s a lot that can happen with the administration of drugs. There are many types of drugs available, quantities vary from patient to patient, also the frequency of which they are administered is quite varied one patient to another,” noted Francis Laramée, executive director of the BMP Foundation. 

Laramée explained that decentralized automated cabinets have a computerized system that play an important role in providing patients “with another layer of security” when being provided with the medication that they need. 

“Let’s say a nurse would like to administer a drug. On paper, she has to look to make sure that the latest dose has been given or not. While the computer will immediately notify the nurse that the dose has been administered, that they do not need to do anything, and that this person took care of it,” he said. “It helps to have a little ‘inner-surveillance’ in terms of medication. Also, the medication is in individualized locked cabinets. So if someone accesses the patients data, it will only unlock the concerned medication boxes and no other ones. Someone cannot take one medication instead of another because it’s already programmed in the system.”

Laramée noted that decentralized cabinets are not only significant to helping avoid medication errors, but creating a more “convenient” and “standardized” practice of administering medication at the BMP Hospital during a time where it faces challenges with staffing shortages. 

“This allows a ‘mini pharmacy’ for each department, therefore it creates faster accessibility in any situation for the staff. Also, it highly simplifies the process of administering the medication. Instead of using standard locked cabinets on wheels and filling out forms manually, the staff have access to the computerized system. (…) It’s faster and more accurate in any case,” mentioned Laramée.

The total investment cost for the purchase of the the two decentralized is estimated at $171,000 and the BMP Foundation recognizes that it’s “an expensive endeavour,” highlighted Laramée, but these investments are necessary to preserving the health and social services provided by the BMP Hospital. 

“It’s by raising the standard of care that consolidates the care that is available here in Cowansville. We all know that the next closest hospital would either be Granby, Montreal, Sherbrooke. Our hospital is a local treasure that we want to keep,” he said. 

Laramée added that the government has limited budgets to “replace, modernize, or create new treatment spaces in the hospitals,” which is why hospital foundations and fundraising initiatives like Oktoberfest exist. 

“Not to make a car analogy, but our foundation…we don’t necessarily put the wheels on, but we make sure that there are really good spare tires, we put the electric windows and AC in it so that people are comfortable when they come to the hospital. It’s a weird analogy, but I like it because it expresses clearly what we do. We are not there to do the ground work, we are here to put the cream on the top and to make sure that when people are treated, they are treated comfortably with the best care possible,” emphasized Laramée. 

Those wanting to support the BMP Foundation in its fundraising initiative can look forward to another Oktoberfest at the Domaine de l’Artisan in Brigham this year. 

Attendees will have the chance to discover three local microbreweries, Brouemont (Bromont), La Knowlton Co. (Knowlton) and L’Autre Brasserie (Bedford), to dance to the sounds Bavarian music, and they will have a gourmet experience. 

Information about the event and ticket purchasing can be found on the BMP Foundation’s website. 

Listen to the full interview below: