09.7.2023 PCS
How eMAR software helps improve clinical safety standards
To enhance clinical safety standards, care homes must reduce their reliance on paper-based processes by adopting eMAR software.
Here at Atlas we provide Electronic medication administration record (eMAR) technology that helps with the administration and management of medicines in Care Homes. We recognise that we have a responsibility to deliver safe and effective systems to be used by Care Homes to help them with their day-to-day responsibilities.
One key area that we introduced before we wrote a single line of code was a clinical safety management framework. It’s vital that our eMAR system is reliable and accurate and ultimately safe – after all it replaces traditional paper based systems, and staff (and residents!) rely on it being correct at all times.
We use a variety of governance methods to ensure Atlas eMAR is safe – we have a quality board made up of professionals and clinicians, we manage risk and assess potential hazards, and we operate clinical safety as a core element of system testing.
We are continuing to strive for improvements in this area, and recently we have implemented and achieved the DCB0129 Clinical Safety Risk Management accreditation. This is a gold standard clinical safety standard designed by the NHS. We are pleased to have introduced this standard as it reflects the way the whole business operates and continues to ensure that Atlas eMAR is as safe as it can be.
Atlas Clinical Safety
Here’s a deeper look into how Atlas eMAR software improves clinical safety standards:
#1. Enhance care
eMAR solutions help ensure that patients receive the right medicines at the right time, thanks to automated alerts that ensure dosages are not missed. The alerting system lets Care Home staff know exactly which medicines to administer and when to administer them. If a medication is missed for some reason, an alert will be raised on the managers dashboard to see this and a variety of other clinical safety related alerts in real time.
#2. Eradicate errors
Medicines management can be very complicated, especially in larger care homes. Not only do medicines need to be administered to the right people at the right time; there also needs to be a steady supply, and medicines must be discarded if they expire. These administrative challenges mean that manual management processes are highly vulnerable to human error. eMAR software automates key processes, such as alerting, reordering, and the monitoring of expiry dates, thus eliminating the risk of human error.
#3. Improve interoperability
Interoperability (or lack of) is one of the most common challenges in digital transformation in any industry sector. In care environments, a lack of interoperability is especially problematic, since records can’t be easily transferred between systems. However, Atlas eMAR's wide range of integrations breaks down these barriers to provide full visibility over the end-to-end process of prescribing and administering medicines. This is why care home managers should only choose an eMAR solution that links directly to pharmacies and GPs to achieve seamless interoperability.
#4. Achieve compliance
Paper-based medicine administration records can get lost or stolen and, if they end up in the wrong hands, it would constitute a massive breach of patient privacy and compliance. From a clinical risk management perspective, handwritten records also come with a risk of overwriting, illegible handwriting, and nonstandard abbreviations – all of which can lead to medication errors. Implementing an eMAR solution that is fully compliant with clinical risk management standards, such as the NHS DCB0129, ensures the highest standards of quality control are met, while also allowing integration with other highly regulated record-keeping systems and standards.
#5. Maintain accountability
One of the biggest shortcomings of paper-based records and manual computer-based records is that it is practically impossible to determine which member of staff made which changes. It is simply one person’s word against another. eMAR helps ensure accountability thanks to a combination of real-time monitoring, highly secure role-based access controls, and complete traceability. Care home staff will always have visibility into which staff are administering which medicines and to whom. If there are any discrepancies, they will know about them immediately.
Atlas eMAR is a medicines management system that meets the demands of the NHS DCB0129 clinical risk management standard. Learn more about how our solution enhances clinical safety in care homes and pharmacies.
