Case Study: Atlantic General Hospital achieves an 86% reduction in medication errors and ~$800K annual savings with Veradigm (Allscripts Sunrise closed-loop medication system)

Improving patient safety with a closed-loop medication system

Atlantic General Hospital, a 62‑bed independent not‑for‑profit hospital in Berlin, Maryland, sought to reduce adverse drug events and standardize medication administration after finding paper-based reconciliation, no barcoding or CPOE, and high rates of late medication doses. To address this challenge it partnered with Allscripts, implementing the Allscripts Sunrise suite (including Knowledge‑Based Medication Administration, CPOE and Clinical EHR capabilities).

Allscripts deployed a closed‑loop medication system using Sunrise, linking physician orders, pharmacy verification and bedside administration with clinical decision support and KBMA; pharmacists moved from distributive roles to active clinical participation. As a result, Atlantic General Hospital cut medication errors by 86% (2012–2015), reduced late medication administration from 22% to 3.6%, lowered average monthly adverse drug events from 9.2 to 0.08, and saved an estimated $800,000 annually in avoidable costs.

Atlantic General Hospital

James McGinnis

Director of Pharmacy