Medication management technology highly effective at improving standards of care for patients
Sutinder Hanspaul, Director & Owner at Burlington Hall Care Home
“Since opening its doors in 1998, Burlington Hall Care Home in Woburn Sands has strived to offer the best care possible to its residents. Currently we have 53 residents with a variety of diverse needs, from those who are independent to those who have complex needs and need one-to-one support.
In 2019, we made the decision to switch to an electronic medication management system, and as a result, four eMAR devices from globally leading medication management solution provider, Omnicell were installed at the care home. Before this, we had used several other methods of medication management including paper charts, original packs and blister packs but the consensus among the staff is that our best system is our latest system, Omnicell’s eMAR.
A recent review among senior staff reveals the huge benefits of introducing technology into our care system at Burlington Hall.”
Anda Marin, Registered Care Home Manager, says:
“We decided to automate our medication management and administration processes as we were looking to move to the next level and go digital. We wanted to introduce more secure processes and ensure we were GDPR compliant, more efficient in administering medication, more accurate with our stock checks and maintain the residents’ safety by eliminating errors and reducing time spent on administering medication, stock control and ordering. I am delighted to say that all our goals have been met since introducing an automated solution.
As Care Home Manager I now have a much clearer picture of medication management in the home – I can easily run reports, conduct audits and do spot checks on seniors at the touch of a keyboard. If an inspector asked me about our medication management at Burlington Hall, I can easily and quickly provide a detailed overview.
I would recommend Omnicell’s eMAR to any care home who are looking to improve their medication management and administration processes. It is a very efficient and reliable system for medication management. Myself and my team find it very easy to use and recognise that during stressful periods such as the COVID-19 pandemic, such technology is indispensable.”
Chukwugozie Obiano & Kelsey Lowe, Unit Managers, comment:
“There were mixed emotions when we found about the solution – we were worried it wouldn’t work or be difficult to use. In fact, Omnicell’s eMAR has ample benefits. It simplified stock control – as when you administer medication, the system counts down the medication stock for you. This is also helpful for medication audits. We can double check our medication stock is correct and if there are any errors or discrepancies, we can see when medication was administered and to which resident.
Furthermore, it streamlined the medication checking in and carry over process. When using paper MAR charts this would take up substantial time but with eMAR, everything is automated. With checking in, it takes 30 minutes to do each floor so now it only takes 1 hour, whereas before it could take at least 2.5 hours. We can now spend more time on direct patient care.”
Mina Khan, Night Unit Manager, adds:
“Significantly, we now have far fewer medication errors. With the barcode scanning feature, you cannot make mistakes. Each medication box has its own unique barcode which you need to scan before you administer the medication. Some medication names and boxes look very similar so with paper charts you may unintentionally make a mistake whereas with Omnicell’s eMAR, the system and barcode feature will flag that this is an error.
Finally, the Omnicell team made sure we understood the solution, and we can contact them easily with any queries. Staff picked up the system very quickly, a result which helped us recognise the switch to an electronic system as a hugely positive step forward.”
