An Overview of Bar Code Medication Administration Systems Report

This report provides a detailed analysis of Bar Code Medication Administration (BCMA) systems, focusing on their components, functionality, and impact on healthcare. It explores the technology's role in reducing medication errors and enhancing patient safety. The report examines key components such as barcode scanners, computer systems, and software, and discusses the workflow involved in medication administration. It includes case studies of Siemens and Cerner BCMA systems, highlighting their features and benefits. The report also emphasizes the "Five Rights" of medication administration and provides a workflow diagram. The conclusion summarizes the benefits of BCMA systems, including improved patient safety and reduced costs. References to relevant research papers are also included.

Running head: BAR CODE MEDICATION ADMINISTRATION SYSTEMS
Bar code medication administration system
Name of the student
Name of the university
Author Note

1BAR CODE MEDICATION ADMINISTRATION SYSTEMS
Table of Contents
Introduction:........................................................................................................................2
Discussions..........................................................................................................................2
Components of bar code administration system..............................................................2
Bar code medication administration systems..................................................................3
Siemens barcode administration system:.....................................................................3
Cerners Point care solution..........................................................................................4
Steps involved in bar code medication administration....................................................5
Work Flow diagram.........................................................................................................6
Conclusion:..........................................................................................................................6
Reference.............................................................................................................................8

2BAR CODE MEDICATION ADMINISTRATION SYSTEMS
Introduction:
The barcode management system is one of the most secured way for the delivery and the
use of the medicines. In today’s generation with the use of the technology human errors can be
minimized and the barcode administrating system does the same. The report includes the
components of the system, some examples and other details about the barcode management
system.
Discussions
Components of bar code administration system
The Barcoded Medication Administration also known as the B.C.M.A. is one of the
account control system that uses technology of barcodes to avert human mistakes in the delivery
and handling of the of prescription medicines at infirmaries. The primary goal of Barcoded
Medication Administration is to enhance the process of medication through which the patients
are getting the medicines in mentioned time and in right amount. The data programmed on
barcodes, allows the contrast of the suppository presence managed with the amount of the order.
The components of a Barcoded Medication Administration are, a barcode imprinter, a
barcode reader, a computer with an active internet connection preferably Wi-Fi, a computer
system connected to the server and the software which does the entire process management
(Kelly et al., 2016). When a patient is prescribed a medicine by some vender, the details of the
medicine gets faxed to the servers and a signal is sent electronically to the servers, or in certain
cases hand copy is transported to the hospital's pharmacy and manually entered into the computer
server by a pharmacologist. If the upload of the given barcode is successful only then the
pharmacist dispenses the quantity (specified in the barcode) of the medication to the patient’s. at

3BAR CODE MEDICATION ADMINISTRATION SYSTEMS
the clinical the clinician is to administer the given medication; the clinician uses a handheld
device (the barcode scanner) to scan the barcodes given on the list of the medications or in the
patient's wristband (provided by the nurses or the doctor). In certain cases, it is seen that the
barcode point-of-care also known as the BPOC system cannot match the medication to be given
in the list with the order provided in the system, an alert is sent to the clinician with a visual
warning describing thee problem.
The barcode point-of-care system is designed in such a manner that it always makes sure
that the right medication is being provided to the right patient in the correct manner provided, in
right time and in correct amount. This process is also known as the “Five Rights."
Bar code medication administration systems
Siemens barcode administration system:
The siemens Medicine Administrator check also known as the MAK uses the technology
of the point care barcode for robotically validating and documenting the medicine management
process (News.usa.siemens.biz, 2018). With the introduction of the siemens systems, now when
a pharmacist fills the order for any drug, the system installed cross cheeks with medical history
of the patient for any potential threats. The nurses who proves the medicine, then after must scan
the barcode with a scanner and the entire history of the patient is on display with prior
instructions to how to use the medicine.

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(Fig:2 Siemens barcode administration system)
Source: (News.usa.siemens.biz, 2018)
The process of the identification of the medicine is Patient by the siemens, the process is
much reliable and has a positive identification of each drug (Booth et al., 2017). The result is
that there are less chances of human errors. The process is verified in by four processes. Firstly,
the scanning of the clinicals barcode is processed then after the scanning of the patient’s
wristband is processed. Thirdly the specimen details such as the containers, the quantity if the
drug is checked and after that the final process it prints the expected barcode suitable for the
patient. This process has not only decreased the number of human error but has also decreased
the budget of the medicines.
Cerners Point care solution
The Cerners point care solution is also one of the barcode scanning technology which
improves the care givers workflow and to help the clinal workers in maintaining proper
medicines and prevent error that would cause harm to the patient.

5BAR CODE MEDICATION ADMINISTRATION SYSTEMS
(Fig-2: Cerners Point care solution)
(Source "Point of Care Solutions | Cerner", 2018)
Given in the image is the barcode scanner used for reading the patients wristband for
getting the medication which is to provide to the patient. Developed by the Cerner, it is one of
the most advanced barcode scanning system for the bar code medication administration systems.
The main benefits of this system are that it works with the five rights for ensuring proper safety
of the patients. This is also one of the most cost-efficient process, as compared to the others of
the category. The working principle of this system is same as the Siemens bar code medication
administration systems.
Steps involved in bar code medication administration
BCMA structures enables an error reduction technique by introducing workflow blocks
such as computerized alerts or warnings that force users to halt and re-examine a possibly unsafe
step in the procedure. In certain cases, to avoid error in the medicine administration process
deliberate stoppage is made.
1. At first the when the list of the medicines arrives to a pharmacist, it document
gets scanned and the pharmacist checks the history of the patients summery.

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2. If no history of the patient is found, a signup id is created for the patient and if
the history is there further steps are taken.
3. Checks the medicines if the listed medicines suit the patient.
4. The medicines get scanned and the files gets uploaded to the patient’s dictionary
5. The clinics gets the medicine and performs a scan of the patient’s wrist band for
the medicine, the dosage amount and the time when the medicine is to provide.
6. Rescans the medicine after use and uploads the given amount of the dosage for
the further use.
Work Flow diagram
(Fig-2: Work Flow diagram)
(Source: author)
Conclusion:
Thus, concluding the topic, it can be said that the barcode management system is one of
the key technology in the modern generation of medical dispensing system. This has reduced the

7BAR CODE MEDICATION ADMINISTRATION SYSTEMS
chances of the human error to great extent and has also reduced the cost of the management of
earlier systems. Also, the information of the patient is available in one single file, has helped the
doctors in the best possible way.

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Reference
Booth, R. G., Sinclair, B., Brennan, L., & Strudwick, G. (2017). Developing and
implementing a simulated electronic medication administration record for
undergraduate nursing education: using sociotechnical systems theory to inform
practice and curricula. CIN: Computers, Informatics, Nursing, 35(3), 131-139.
Hurley, A. C., Bane, A., Fotakis, S., Duffy, M. E., Sevigny, A., Poon, E. G., & Gandhi,
T. K. (2007). Nurses' satisfaction with medication administration point-of-care
technology. Journal of nursing administration, 37(7/8), 343-349.
Hwang, Y., Yoon, D., Ahn, E. K., Hwang, H., & Park, R. W. (2016). Provider risk
factors for medication administration error alerts: analyses of a large‐scale closed‐
loop medication administration system using RFID and barcode.
Pharmacoepidemiology and drug safety, 25(12), 1387-1396.
Kelly, K., Harrington, L., Matos, P., Turner, B., & Johnson, C. (2016). Creating a culture
of safety around bar-code medication administration: an evidence-based
evaluation framework. Journal of Nursing Administration, 46(1), 30-37.
Macias, M., Bernabeu-Andreu, F. A., Arribas, I., Navarro, F., & Baldominos, G. (2018,
January). Impact of a Barcode Medication Administration System on Patient
Safety. In Oncology nursing forum (Vol. 45, No. 1, pp. E1-E13).
Point of Care Solutions | Cerner. (2018). Cerner.com.
Siemens Solutions Help Healthcare Providers Drive Patient Safety Improvements |
Siemens USA Newsroom. (2018). News.usa.siemens.biz. Retrieved 3 March

9BAR CODE MEDICATION ADMINISTRATION SYSTEMS
2018, from http://news.usa.siemens.biz/press-release/customer-solutions/siemens-
solutions-help-healthcare-providers-drive-patient-safety-im.
Truitt, E., Thompson, R., Blazey-Martin, D., Nisai, D., & Salem, D. (2016). Effect of the
implementation of barcode technology and an electronic medication
administration record on adverse drug events. Hospital pharmacy, 51(6), 474-483.