Patients with multiple chronic conditions or critical illnesses often require care from a diverse team of healthcare professionals across various settings. Their complex care demands seamless coordination to ensure right outcomes and patient safety. Electronic Medication Administration Record (eMAR) systems promote smooth communication and collaboration for these patients. They offer a centralised, real-time platform for medication management. Here, we share the role of electronic MAR in the care of patients with complex medical needs.
- Unified view: eMAR provides a single, comprehensive record accessible by authorised healthcare providers. This eliminates the need to go through multiple paper charts or piece together information from fragmented sources. All medications, allergies, and medication history are readily available for quick and informed decision-making. This unified view is particularly important for patients with multiple comorbidities, who require intricate and well-coordinated care plans for the best outcomes.
- Changes in a patient’s medication regimen, allergies, or lab results can be documented electronically in real-time. This ensures that all involved parties have access to the most up-to-date information, minimising the risk of errors due to outdated records. For patients with rapidly changing conditions, real-time updates are essential to adapt care plans swiftly and accurately.
- eMAR systems often feature secure messaging functionalities. This ensures seamless communication between nurses, physicians, pharmacists, and other healthcare professionals involved in a patient’s care. Teams can discuss medication changes, address concerns, and coordinate care plans more effectively. For patients with intricate medical needs, this level of collaboration ensures that all aspects of their treatment are carefully managed.
- Built-in alerts: eMAR systems can be programmed with medication-specific alerts, so that potential interactions with other drugs, allergies, or dosage errors can be ruled out. This helps prevent adverse drug effects, which is a major concern for complex patients.
- Many eMAR systems use bar-code scanning technology for medication administration. This reduces the possibility of human error in medication identification and dispensing. For patients with complex treatment plans, bar-code scanning ensures that each medication is correctly administered as prescribed.
- eMAR systems provide a complete audit trail of all administered drugs. This helps in tracking changes, identifying discrepancies, and ensuring accountability within the care team. For patients with complexities, audit trails offer an additional layer of safety.
- eMAR systems streamline the medication administration process by automating many routine tasks. This includes scheduling medication doses, reminding staff of administration times, and providing instant access to patient records. For patients who require frequent and varied medications, these time-saving features allow healthcare providers to focus more on direct patient care.
- eMAR systems compile extensive data on medication administration. This data can be analysed to identify trends, optimise treatment plans, and improve overall patient outcomes. For patients with complex medical needs, access to comprehensive data allows healthcare providers to make informed decisions.
- eMAR systems help ensure that medication administration adheres to established protocols and guidelines. This is particularly important for patients who often require highly specialised treatment plans.
Implementing eMAR systems involves providing training and support for healthcare staff. This ensures that all team members are proficient in using the system and are aware of its benefits. For patients with detailed care plans, well-trained staff can leverage the full capabilities of eMAR systems to deliver superior care.
Whether EMAR is used in rehabilitation centres, respite care homes or nursing homes, their use has significantly benefited complex patients and their treatment outcomes. To know more on how eMAR can help your healthcare facility, get in touch with us.
