Should care providers use an eMAR system? Paper MAR charts Vs eMAR

If you are a manager of a care home, then you’ll know that one of the most crucial aspects of ensuring quality of life for residents is the efficient management and administration of medications to reduce risk and improve safety. You might still be doing this with paper MAR charts, but by investing in digital tools you can transform the way in which your medications are managed. So, if you’re thinking about eMAR charts vs paper MAR charts, and considering the real impact of changing, here are some considerations. 

MAR charts vs eMAR system – what are they? 

Whereas traditional paper MAR charts are the use of paper documents to record information pertaining to medication, such as dosage, stock and medical information of each resident, an eMAR system is a digital version that streamlines and improves this process but with so many more capabilities to help elevate the process of medication management. 

There are several types of eMAR systems to choose from, but at its core, the system should facilitate the safe and efficient distribution, tracking and ordering of medications and treatments.  

Cons of paper MAR charts 

While there aren’t really many pros for the traditional system to speak of these days, there are many drawbacks to using it. Traditional paper MAR charts don’t offer the same level of information as compared to eMAR systems, nor data protection, and even the information you do have is fixed – if you are using a paper MAR chart to administer medications, you won’t have the very latest updates, for example you may not be notified if medication is late or if it’s running low, or if it has been changed. It won’t safeguard against administrative errors, and it is open to issues like illegible handwriting or inconsistences in the timing of doses.  

Sometimes there could be gaps in the paper records where staff have forgotten to note down medication administered, which could lead to mistakenly re-administering medications, leading to further risk.  

These issues arise before you even take into consideration the ability to record medication information for auditing or regulatory inspections.  

With the inefficient nature of paper MAR charts, gaps in medication history or inefficient documentation can mean that when it comes to presenting information to regulatory inspectors, the ability to evidence safe and effective medication management is compromised. You can find out more here about how an eMAR system rectifies this issue.  

Some people might argue in favour of paper MAR charts, claiming that eMAR systems can be costly to invest in and to set up, but that isn’t the case either. Apart from the fact that paper systems aren’t always as cost-efficient as they might seem, with the costs of paper and the storage needed to house archives, what you really lose is the value of time with paper MAR charts. The time it takes to calculate stock levels, or the time needed to find documents within archives, or how long medication rounds take – this is time taken by staff that, if saved by using an eMAR system, could be better served in performing other tasks that are more focused on the provision of care.  

Pros of an eMAR system 

If you think about any of the negative aspects of a paper MAR chart, in almost every instance the opposite is the case for eMAR systems. Where there is wasted time and energy or resources by using paper MAR charts, there is efficiency and improved safety in eMAR systems. 

An eMAR system, like the one available with Person Centred Software, is designed to address the challenges that have traditionally existed with the use of paper MAR charts, as well as offer additional features that enhance overall efficiency and safety such as barcode technology.  

With an eMAR system like ATLAS eMAR, care providers can reduce the amount of time spent on medication management and also ensure that it is safer, with the risk of errors greatly reduced. Stock management, such as medication ordering, and prescription processes are also simplified and importantly, care staff and managers have access to full visibility over operations and reports, meaning that anything needed for regulatory inspections is all in one place. 

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Paper MAR charts vs eMAR systems – the choice is simple 

If you are looking to streamline your medication management processes whilst at the same time making them more robust, safe and reliable, then there is a clear winner – an eMAR system will transform the way in which you manage and administer medications, saving you time and enhancing your outcomes. 

So, if you have decided you want to switch to an eMAR system, but now you’re thinking about which one to choose, click here to read more about what sets ATLAS eMAR apart and why you should make the switch.