BCMA: Bar-Coded Medication Administration
Posted by: Imran in Healthcare IT, InterestingWhat 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.
