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11/5/2009
Ephraim McDowell Health has invested $200,000 in new technology to enhance patient safety at Ephraim McDowell Regional Medical Center and Ephraim McDowell Fort Logan Hospital. Bedside Medication Verification will use bar code scanning technology to match patients with their correct medication. The new technology will be implemented beginning November 17.
"We are very pleased to be expanding our technology while at the same time enhancing the safety of our patients," said L. Clark Taylor Jr., chief executive officer of Ephraim McDowell Health. "This new technology will help us to ensure that our patients are receiving the correct medication prescribed for them."
Nursing staff will use the new technology by bringing a computer to the patient's bedside. Using a hand-held scanner, the nursing staff will scan a bar code on the patient's identification bracelet and then scan the medications prescribed for the patient. The technology will confirm the safe administration of the medication by verifying the right patient, right medication, right dosage, right route and right time.
"This new technology ensures the highest level of medication accuracy," said Rick Hempel, M.D., vice president of medical affairs at Ephraim McDowell Regional Medical Center. "It will help us to prevent medication errors, and that means our patients will be safer. The new technology also provides physicians faster and easier access to critical information to manage patient care."
Besides confirming that the patient is being matched with the correct medication, the new technology will also cross check for allergies and possible drug or food and drug interactions as physician orders are entered by the pharmacist.
Fewer than 20% of hospitals nationwide have invested in the technology to provide for bedside medication verification. However, reducing medication errors is part of the National Patient Safety Goals of The Joint Commission, which accredits hospitals.
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