Advertisement
Am J Health-Syst Pharm
HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS
 QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced]


     


American Journal of Health-System Pharmacy, Vol. 64, Issue 5, 536-543
Copyright © 2007 by American Society of Health-System Pharmacists
This Article
Right arrow Full Text
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow Submit a response
Right arrow View responses
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me when eLetters are posted
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via HighWire
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Paoletti, R. D.
Right arrow Articles by Sauders, T.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Paoletti, R. D.
Right arrow Articles by Sauders, T.

Medication-Use Technology

Using bar-code technology and medication observation methodology for safer medication administration

Richard D. Paoletti, Tina M. Suess, Michael G. Lesko, Alfred A. Feroli, James A. Kennel, Joye M. Mahler and Timothy Sauders

RICHARDD. PAOLETTI, M.B.A., B.S.PHARM., is Director, Pharmacy Services; and TINAM. SUESS, R.N., A.S., is Bridge System Administrator, Lancaster General Hospital (LGH), Lancaster, PA. MICHAELG. LESKO, D.O., is Physician, Cardiology Consultants, P.C., Lancaster. ALFREDA. FEROLI, B.S.PHARM., M.S., is Pharmacy Inventory Supervisor; JAMESA. KENNEL, PHARM.D., is Pharmacy Clinical Manager; JOYEM. MAHLER, B.S., is Senior Project Leader, Information Services; and TIMOTHYSAUDERSis Pharmacy Information System Administrator, LGH.

Address correspondence to Mr. Paoletti at Pharmacy Services, Lancaster General Hospital, 555 North Duke Street, P.O. Box 3555, Lancaster, PA 17604-3555 (rdpaolet{at}lancastergeneral.org).


Purpose. The implementation of a multidisciplinary approach to systematically decrease medication errors through the use of observation methodology and the deployment of electronic medication administration records (EMARs) and bar-coded-medication administration (BCMA) is described.

Summary. For a consistent and reliable approach to data collection, a direct-observation technique was used. The measurement of medication errors using the observation process occurred in two phases—preimplementation and postimplementation. Three inpatient nursing units participated. The control group was a 20-bed cardiac telemetry unit. Intervention group 1 was also a 20-bed cardiac telemetry unit. Intervention group 2 was a 36-bed medical–surgical unit. During the first phase of the study, all three study groups participated in evaluating the medication administration process associated with a manual five-day medication administration record (MAR). A total of 188 errors were reported. The pharmacy, nursing, and information services departments collaborated on the design and deployment of the EMAR and BCMA systems. The systems were implemented in one nursing unit in August 2003, with full implementation on all inpatient units by July 2004. During the second phase of the study, the control group continued to use the manual five-day MAR without a change in the process. Intervention groups 1 and 2 were measured to evaluate the medication administration process using EMAR and BCMA technology. The direct-observation accuracy rate before BCMA was 86.5%; after BCMA, the rate rose to 97%.

Conclusion. The direct-observation methodology was used to monitor medication administration before and after the deployment of the EMAR and BCMA systems. A 54% reduction of medication administration errors was observed following implementation of a multidisciplinary, collaborative approach to medication safety.

Index terms: Codes; Computers; Drug administration; Errors, medication; Hospitals; Methodology; Records; Technology

 



This article has been cited by other articles:


Home page
Am J Health Syst PharmHome page
P. J. Helmons, L. N. Wargel, and C. E. Daniels
Effect of bar-code-assisted medication administration on medication administration errors and accuracy in multiple patient care areas
Am. J. Health Syst. Pharm., July 1, 2009; 66(13): 1202 - 1210.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
Am J Health Syst PharmHome page
J. L. DeYoung, M. E. VanderKooi, and J. F. Barletta
Effect of bar-code-assisted medication administration on medication error rates in an adult medical intensive care unit
Am. J. Health Syst. Pharm., June 15, 2009; 66(12): 1110 - 1115.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
Am J Health Syst PharmHome page
T. L. Hanuscak, S. L. Szeinbach, E. Seoane-Vazquez, B. J. Reichert, and C. F. McCluskey
Evaluation of causes and frequency of medication errors during information technology downtime
Am. J. Health Syst. Pharm., June 15, 2009; 66(12): 1119 - 1124.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
Am J Health Syst PharmHome page
R. Oishi
Current status of preparation and distribution of medicines
Am. J. Health Syst. Pharm., March 1, 2009; 66(5_Supplement_3): s35 - s42.
[Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
Am J Health Syst PharmHome page
J. Sakowski, J. M. Newman, and K. Dozier
Severity of medication administration errors detected by a bar-code medication administration system
Am. J. Health Syst. Pharm., September 1, 2008; 65(17): 1661 - 1666.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
JAMAHome page
D. W. Cescon and E. Etchells
Barcoded Medication Administration: A Last Line of Defense
JAMA, May 14, 2008; 299(18): 2200 - 2202.
[Full Text] [PDF]

eLetters:

Read all eLetters

Value of BCMA
John Poikonen
Am J Health-Syst Pharm Online, 9 Feb 2009 [Full text]
Re: Value of BCMA
Richard D Paoletti
Am J Health-Syst Pharm Online, 18 Feb 2009 [Full text]



HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS
Copyright © 2007 by the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists.
Advertisement