Shaughnessy-Kaplan recently became the first PCC facility to implement Medication Administration Check (MAK) when the system went live on December 1st. MAK uses barcodes on medications and patient wristbands to prevent medication errors by ensuring the "Five Rights" of medication administration.

- Right Patient - Right Medication - Right Time - Right Dose - Right Route

MAK is currently being used at Partners acute hospitals, but is particularly important in the post-acute setting because of the increased number of medications and medication changes that patients require during a longer length of stay.

Barcode technology, alerts and reminders contribute to a safer medication administration process. Nurses and Respiratory Therapists bring new medication carts equipped with wireless thin client computers to the room. Patient and drug information is available with just a click, directly at the point of administration. The Pharmacy provides each medication with a barcoded label, requiring new repackaging and labeling equipment.

Part of the Pharmacy Information System, MAK provides an additional method of online communication between Pharmacists, Nurses and Respiratory Therapists. It completes the loop of electronic management of medication orders from Physician ordering through dispensing, administration and documentation.

The online MAR in NetAccess will still be used to view the charted administration of medications. Slight differences will be noted in documentation of parameters such as Blood Sugar and Pain Scale, which should become more uniform and consistent.

The use of an eMAR (electronic medication administration record) with barcode technology such as MAK is a goal of the Partners High Performance Medicine Initiative on Patient Safety.