Question

You are participating in the customization and implementation of a barcode medication administration system. Analyze how the process flow will change from the current manual process and identify potential problem areas and possible solutions. Please include a workflow diagram (flowchart) from the manual process and the barcode process.

Answer 1

With the evolution of electronic health record system, the new barcode medication administration has also gained attention. This new concept of medication administration has been developed as patient safety is the main concern of every healthcare organization. The barcode medication administration has reduced the incidences of medication errors caused due to wrong identification of patient and wrong medication administration. Compartively the manual process of medication adminstration was prone to many medication errors which endangered patient safety and developed many sentinel events. Although the use of barcode medication administration helps to ensure patient safety, it can result in certain potential problems:

• It can often lead to dependence of the staff on the electronic system rather than utilizing their own knowledge and clinical judgement while medication administration. One should have adequate knowledge to identify the patient and medication correctly not only simply depending on a machine.
• Its a electronic resource therefore lack of electric supply or charging of the WOW can result in delaying of medication administration. All the computers should be checked for its adequate functioning.

The flowchart below explains the process of barcode medication administration: