As we continue to explore the transformative impact of technology within social care, it's crucial to understand the differences between traditional methods and modern solutions. The transition from conventional paper-based Medication Administration Records (MAR) to electronic MAR (eMAR) systems marks a significant leap forward.
From enhancing patient care to boosting efficiency and streamlining administrative tasks, eMAR systems are helping to redefine the landscape of social care.
The drawbacks of paper MAR
For many years, care professionals have relied on paper-based MARs as the standard method for documenting the administration of medications to patients. However, despite their widespread use, these traditional systems pose several challenges that can impact the efficacy and accuracy of care delivery. Issues such as illegibility can result in misinterpretation of medication instructions, jeopardising patient safety and potentially leading to legal implications for providers.
Paper MARs also have a significant drawback: they lack real-time updates. This means that changes cannot be tracked and accurate records cannot be maintained. As a result, there is a potential for inconsistencies in patient care.
Crucially, the use of paper MAR charts demands a significant amount of time. The routine tasks of documenting, updating, and maintaining these records reduces the time care staff can spend on quality care. The manual archiving and storage procedures of physical MARs are also time-intensive and inefficient, complicating the process of examining historical patterns in medication administration for individual patients. This also poses challenges when showing historic MAR charts to the CQC upon request.
How does eMAR compare?
eMAR systems, such as Camascope's, are designed to address these challenges and offer additional features to boost medication administration efficiency. By eliminating handwriting, legibility is ensured, and misinterpretation is minimised. Real-time updates are a standard feature, and direct pharmacy integration means new prescriptions are automatically updated in the eMAR system after pharmacist review and approval. This real-time tracking ensures that the medication record is always up-to-date, improving the accuracy of medication administration. Moreover, pharmacy integration strengthens communication channels, further improving efficiency. Integration with digital care planning systems also allows a holistic overview and oversight of a resident's whole care.
Additionally, eMAR systems excel in accountability. They track and document all changes, along with the names of the staff members who made them. This feature ensures complete entries and makes it easy to establish accountability among staff members. In terms of compliance and resident safety, eMAR systems are revolutionary. They assist in ensuring the correct medication is administered in the right dose, at the appropriate time, to the correct residents. Historic records and administration histories can be quickly accessed, benefiting inspections.
Advanced eMAR systems, like Camascope's, allow care staff to access detailed patient medication information, monitor medication interactions, and schedule PRN follow-ups, further enhancing patient safety.
The shift from paper to digital MAR is a major step forward in healthcare technology. eMAR systems offer many benefits, including improved accuracy, enhanced communication, increased accountability, and heightened patient safety. While the transition may be challenging for some care staff due to their familiarity with traditional processes, adopting eMAR systems like Camascope's will undoubtedly play a pivotal role in delivering high-quality, person-centred care.
If you’d like to know how Camascope's new eMAR solution can work for your organisation, contact us to find out more.
