Protecting Patients From Medication Errors Requires More Than Single-Platform EMRs

Electronic medical records (EMRs) can play an important role in the reduction of medication errors, but they should not be considered the be-all, end-all solution. Healthcare organizations, in fact, are discovering that simply implementing single-platform EMR systems is not enough to truly protect patients from the medication errors that cost the U.S. healthcare system close to $20 billion annually.1

In fact, 25% of the 250 healthcare professionals who recently participated in a HIMSS Media survey agreed that expecting the EMR to address the medication management process can be a significant barrier to medication management success, while another 52% said this expectation could act as a moderate barrier.2

To have a greater impact on patient safety, hospitals and health systems should consider supporting connected medication management initiatives that integrate information from a variety of systems and devices to provide more comprehensive information to clinicians. To accomplish this, healthcare leaders need to ensure that EMRs are utilized as part of a connected medication management system that links a variety of systems and devices including computerized physician order entry (CPOE), pharmacy, barcode medication administration (BCMA), automated medication dispensing, inventory management, and electronic medication-administration applications. Such connectivity can provide clinicians with a comprehensive view of the patient’s medication profile and can help close some of the gaps that exist when various technologies are used in isolation.