Sanitarium

What is it? BCMA is a barcode system used to prevent errors in medication prescription

What does it do? Reduces errors in the distribution of prescription medications at hospitals, by making sure that the patients are receiving the correct medications.

Who uses it? It is currently used by few general hospitals. Its initial implementation was by the Veteran Medical Center in Topeka Texas. Between the years of 1999-2001, the Department of Veteran Affairs promoted the system to over 161 of their facilities. It is difficult for all hospitals to suddenly change to this system due to its complication and expensive nature. This system consists of a barcode reader, a portable computer (with WiFi), a computer server, and software.

How does it work? When patients are prescribed medication, the nurse has to first scan the barcode on the wristband of the patient and then the barcode on the medication. The laptop should show both barcodes as a match. Not only this, but the barcodes hold all the vital information about the patient and his medication; this information is referred to as the “Five Rights”:
a. The right patient
b. The right medication
c. At the right time
d. At the right does
e. By the right route

Why is it important? This innovative system is important because it drastically reduces the number of human errors in hospitals.

Any other important information? Bar Coded Medication Administration is a system implemented by few hospitals and a large amount number of Veteran Medical Centers. The system consists of a barcode scanner, a laptop with WiFi, a computer server and special software. The information supplied by the system is referred to as the “Five Rights”. The five rights verify that the nurse is giving the right patient the right medicine, at the right time with the right dosage, by the right route (pill, IV, etc.). The purpose of implementing this system was to reduce the overall percentage of human error in the dosing of prescription medication.

PACS is a combination of hardware and software dedicated to the short and long term storage, retrieval, management, distribution and presentation of images. The biggest consumers of PACS are hospitals. PACS main purpose is to replace hard film copies with digital images that can be used and seen by several different medical professionals and different medical automation systems simultaneously.

The system’s server contains the image database. The clients connect to the server through a local area network (LAN) or a wide area network (WAN). PACS are now beginning to include web-based interfaces so that clients can connect remotely over a virtual private network (VPN) or secure Web site (HTTPS). Remote access makes it easier and more convenient for several different practitioners to view the same information simultaneously. PACS also makes it easier for radiologists to manage patient exam workflow.

PACS has four major components:

Imaging systems, such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and computed axial tomography (CAT scan) equipment.
A secure network for distribution and exchange of patient information.
Workstations for viewing, processing and interpreting images.
Archives for storage and retrieval of images and related documentation and reports.
The increasing adoption of healthcare information technology (HIT) is stimulating the market for PACS. Global Data forecast that the United States PACS market will grow from $1 billion in 2008 to $2.5 billion in 2015.

Written and edited by Imran Shah and Margaret Rouse

http://searchhealthit.techtarget.com/definition/picture-archiving-and-communication-system-PACS