October 24, 2018: Design of eMAR Systems with End-Users in Mind: Learning from a Fatal Incident in Long-Term Care
Most long-term care facilities have moved from a paper-based medication administration record system to an electronic medication administration record (eMAR) system. By automating scheduling and documentation, eMAR systems are intended to reduce medication errors through efficient workflow management and elimination of some of the error-prone paper-based processes. However, failure to incorporate human factors principles into the design of such systems, as well as a lack of standardization, can lead to new errors. As part of an ongoing collaboration with a provincial death investigation service, ISMP Canada received a report that highlights opportunities to improve the design and presentation of key information in eMAR systems to prevent similar errors. Read more...
