The Department of State Hospitals (DSH) proposes to implement pharmacy modernization that will consist of inventory, unit dose repackaging, automated dispensing, and patient specific medication billing as well as pharmacy data integration requiring rearchitecting the existing pharmacy related application environment to accommodate the new pharmacy system. Pharmacy Modernization will directly improve patient care and hospital operations. In addition, this will allow DSH to effectively track inventory, enhance patient medication safety, capture patient specific medication billing to increase revenues, and decrease the likelihood of drug shortages.
| Agency / State Entity | Health and Human Services / State Hospitals, Department of |
|---|---|
| Total Cost | $24,990,390 |
| Last Approved Start Date | 12/01/2021 |
| Last Approved Finish Date | 02/16/2027 |
| Criticality Rating | Low |
| IPOR Reporting Period | Overall IPOR Rating |
|---|---|
| 12/01/2025 - 12/31/2025 |
Key Questions
Is the project on track to satisfy the customer's business objectives?Yes
Is the project on track to achieve the objectives in the approved timeframe?Yes
Is the project on track to achieve the objectives within the approved budget?Yes
| Project Overall Health | Comments |
|---|---|
| The overall project health rating for this reporting period is Green. Project current status and key accomplishments: • Project Completion Status - 35% complete. • Implementation progress of project milestones across the five hospital sites: - MedSelect: - Completed: DSH-C - In progress: DSH-M and DSH-A - Not started: DSH-N and DSH-P - RxWorks: The RxWorks software did not meet user expectations at DSH-M, resulting in the PSC decision halting its implementation at other hospitals. The CDT was informed of this decision on January 6, 2026. The IPO team will discuss this with the project team to assess the potential impacts on the project scope, cost, and schedule. - Suspended: DSH-C and DSH-M - Not started: DSH-A, DSH-N, and DSH-P - Centrack: - Completed: DSH-C - In progress: DSH-A - Not started: DSH-M, DSH-N, and DSH-P - Verify Spooler: - Completed: DSH-M - Not started: DSH-C, DSH-A, DSH-N, and DSH-P - The Verify & Spooler component implementation was planned to follow the successful deployment of RxWorks at each hospital site. With the suspension of RxWorks implementation, the Verify Spooler implementation timeline at DSH-C, DSH-A, DSH-P, and DSH-N is being re-evaluated. • Organization Change Management (OCM): - Pharmacy Modernization Project intranet site deployed providing detailed information and a user guide to end users about the project and its various components and systems. - Training plan for RxWorks Support Team developed. - Development of pharmacy-specific training materials in progress. • Fire Marshal permits have been issued for all five hospital sites. • DSH-Coalinga (DSH-C) MedSelect (Deployment completed): - All 33 display terminals of MedSelect at DSH-C are in production. - MedSelect v 9.1.2 production deployment to units 1, 2, 5 & 8 completed. A staggered rollout to all units is planned for January-February 2026. - MedSelect deployment, training for the MedSelect version 9.1.2, and as-is and to-be workflows are completed. - Planning hospital-wide deployment of MedSelect v 9.1.3 upgrade is in progress. Deployment is dependent on the successful deployment of v 9.1.2. RxWorks deployment suspended. Centrack deployment completed. • DSH-Metro (DSH-M) MedSelect (Deployment in progress): - MedSelect deployment planning is in progress. Installation will be sequenced with the construction works. - Nineteen (19) MedSelect machines have been installed. - New MedSelect Policy Created. - MedSelect Super User training completed. RxWorks (Deployment completed): - RxWorks was successfully deployed and go-live was on August 26, 2025. - RxWorks training was conducted throughout the month of August. - RxWorks software is live for ordering pharmaceutical products. Verify & Spooler (Deployment completed) - The Verify & Spooler machine was installed, and the necessary end-user training was conducted. - Integration of the existing FastPak machines with RxWorks completed. Centrack (Not started): - Centrack implementation follows successful MedSelect installation and configuration. Infrastructure (In progress) - Construction works started in August 2025 and planned to be completed by the end of January 2026. - Construction in the training room and nineteen (19) med rooms have been completed. • DSH-Atascadero (DSH-A) MedSelect (Deployment in progress): - Planning efforts for the MedSelect Cabinet implementation at DSH-A are in progress. - All of the MedSelect equipment deliveries have been completed. - MedSelect v.9.1.2/Oracle Standard virtual server build completed. - MedSelect v.9.1.3/Oracle Enterprise virtual server build completed. RxWorks (Not started) Centrack (In progress) - Planning for the software version update from v8 to v9 is complete. Verify & Spooler (No started). Infrastructure (In progress) - Phase 1 of the construction works began in July 2025, and planning for the remaining construction works in Phase 1 and Phase 2 is in progress. • DSH-Napa (DSH-N) MedSelect (Not started) RxWorks (Not started) Centrack (Not started): - Centrack implementation follows successful MedSelect installation and configuration. Verify & Spooler (Not started). Infrastructure (Planning in progress): - Fire Marshall permits were received in December 2025. - Planning for the construction Invitation For Bid (IFB) is in progress. • DSH-Patton (DSH-P) MedSelect (Upgrade of existing machines is complete) - MedSelect server and software upgrades are complete. - Planning for migration to v9.1.2/Oracle Standard is complete. RxWorks (Not started) Centrack (Not started): - Centrack implementation follows successful MedSelect installation and configuration. Verify & Spooler (Not started). Infrastructure (Planning in progress): - Fire Marshal permits were received in December 2025. - Planning for construction IFB is in progress. • Project Approval Lifecycle (PAL) - (1/2019 – 4/2022) - PAL Stage 4 was approved in July 2021, and again re-validated in April 2022. |
| Focus Area/Rating | Comments |
|---|---|
| Governance |
The Governance health rating for this reporting period is Green, as the project continues to include the pillars of proper project governance. • Structure: The project team, Executive Committee, vendor, and user community are established and follow established roles and responsibilities. • People: The right people with the right skills are in place, and project, vendor, and hospital resources are engaged. • Communication: Consistent information sharing is taking place. Key project information and status are documented and communicated through both push and pull mechanisms. • Decision-Making: Roles and responsibilities are established through an approved Governance plan and project RACI, and decisions are being logged. Note: An Executive Steering Committee is established and meets regularly, and a dedicated meeting for working risks and issues is regularly scheduled, where risk and issue logs are documented and worked on in a consistent manner. The PSC decided not to move forward with implementing RxWorks at DSH-C, DSH-A, DSH-P, and DSH-N due to unsatisfactory results from DSH-M. The CDT was informed of this decision on January 6, 2026. The IPO team will discuss this change with the project team to assess its impact on the project's scope, cost, and schedule. |
| Time Management |
The Time Management health rating for this reporting period is Green. The implementation of RxWorks at DSH-C required upgrading MedSelect from version 9.1.2 to 9.1.3. Since DSH-M did not have MedSelect in place, the RxWorks implementation at DSH-M began ahead of DSH-C and was deployed on August 26, 2025. As a result of the recent PSC’s decision not to proceed with the RxWorks implementation, the project team is assessing the impact on the project timeline. Any changes to the project timeline will be reported in the upcoming IPORs. |
| Cost & Contract Management |
The Cost & Contract Management health rating for this reporting period is Green. The project had experienced over 10% cost variance. To address this, the project submitted an SPR to the CDT that was approved on March 5, 2025, re-baselining the project cost. As a result of the recent PSC decision not to proceed with RxWorks implementation, the project team is assessing the impact of removing RxWorks-related activities from the project scope on costs. Any change to the project cost will be reported in the upcoming IPORs. |
| Scope Management |
The Scope Management health rating for this reporting period is Green. The Pharmacy Modernization project will improve patient care and pharmacy operations with the implementation of an enterprise-wide, automated solution for all five state hospitals. The elements of this project are: Inventory (medication) control, medication repackaging and dispensing, secure management of controlled medications, accurate patient billing information, pharmacy data integration across all five hospitals (Coalinga, Metropolitan, Atascadero, Napa, and Patton) and modifications to the existing application environment and architecture to support new hardware and software. The project team is currently assessing the scope changes resulting from the PSC’s recent decision not to proceed with the RxWorks implementation. Any modifications will be reported in upcoming IPORs. |
| Resources |
The Resources health rating for this reporting period is Green. • A full-time state project manager is serving the project and is supported by another project manager on an as-needed basis, along with several DSH team members supporting the overall project effort. • One vendor project manager, along with other technical staff, is supporting the project. |
| Quality |
The Quality health rating for this reporting period is Green. To date, project quality, either due to the vendor product or state activities, has not created a major problem. However, the high number of MedSelect hardware issues that have arisen on newly installed equipment are closely monitored. • Quality Assurance planning activities are anticipated to be a collaborative effort with the vendor, pharmacists and nursing administrators related to quality for the Commercial Off-The-Shelf (COTS) Solution. • Stakeholders are participating in all walkthroughs and evaluation of the most effective equipment configuration for their environment. • Weekly meetings are held with the stakeholders to review what is working well and what areas need improvement during the implementation phases of the project. • Lessons Learned sessions are scheduled with the objective of applying Lessons Learned to the remaining hospital sites’ implementations. |
| Risk And Issues |
The Risks and Issues health rating for this reporting period is Green. • Stakeholders are provided with the ability to raise risks and issues during regularly scheduled project meetings. • Regularly scheduled meetings take place, which are dedicated to addressing current risks and issues. • A comprehensive issue log is maintained, and action plans are expediently developed to address open issues. • A comprehensive risk log is maintained and includes risk response strategy, planning, and contingency planning. • A full summary of risks and issues related statistics is displayed in table format in the focus area details in the second half of this report. |
| Transition Readiness |
The Transition Readiness health rating for this reporting period is Green. As part of Transition Readiness, the team is currently working with the vendor on future workflows and RxWorks (inventory) demonstrations to ensure all organizational change management elements are documented, reviewed, and approved. Additionally, stakeholders are involved throughout the project, participating in all walkthroughs and evaluations of the equipment configurations to ensure they are effective for their specific environments. |
| Conditions For Approval |
There are no Conditions for Approval. |
| Corrective Action |
There are no Corrective Action Plan Items. |
20250626 Release-16