Informatics Solution Proposal General Solution

Informatics Solution Proposal: General Solution

Team A

HCS/482

May 9, 2016

Dr. Michael Solomon

Informatics Solution Proposal: General Solution

This department would like to propose adding bar code medication administration and computerized provider order entry (CPOE) as an addition to our current computerized technology to reduce medication errors throughout the hospital.

Bar code-assisted medication administration (BCMA) was developed to increase compliance with making sure the nurse is doing the "five rights" of medications administration: right patient, right route, right drugs, right dose and the right time. The right patient is done by matching and scanning the bar code, the right drug, dose, and time, are checked with the bar code as well.

CPOE is an electronic system that allows physician and practitioners to directly enter medications and care orders for the patients. The system has built-in reminders and alert that help the provider to select appropriate medications and warns the physicians of the possible interaction. It helps to provide quality care promptly and prevent medication errors such as drug names that sound alike. The computerized order entry system decreases the issues related to unreadable handwriting and transcription error (Nethorton et. Al, 2014). Orders entered to CPOE become part of the medical record and are sent directly to the pharmacy. It facilitates communication between physicians with other health care teams.  

Barcode technology excels at improving efficiency and eliminating human error in medication administration (Agrawal, 2009). To be effective in the patient care settings technology must be well designed to ensure ease of use and safeguard against human error factors. Implementing the BCMA will lead to decreased time consumed by nurses on medication pastime and increase time spent with hands-on patient care (Dwibedi et al. 2011). The BCMA will not eliminate errors it will decrease error potential. In an addendum to benefits, this system provides the potential to cause unknown types of inefficiencies or mistakes that can negative impact patient care. The system will need ongoing assessment for effectiveness to enhance quality and improve patient safety (Bubalo, et al. 2014).

 This organization already has the necessary components to add CPOE easily and bar coded medication administration technology to the already existing system.  “The cost of implementing and operating BCMA including electronic pharmacy management and drug repackaging over five years is $40,000 (range: $35,600 to $54,600) per BCMA-enabled bed and $2000 (range: $1800 to $2600) per harmful error prevented” (Sakowski and Ketchel, p.38, 2013).  This change may cause some turmoil and concerns with staff as new technology does sometimes. Some of these concerns include a new pattern of workflow and increased workflow causing new or different errors and how this program will be implemented into the clinical practice.  With proper education and training these concerns will be addressed and in the long run, this process and the program will be a cost saving, error preventing and reducing addition.