New Devices and Technologies to Prevent Medication Errors

More cases of patient harm result from incorrect dosages of medicine and incorrect administration techniques than from other causes, according to a recent report from the US Pharmacopeia Center for the Advancement of Patient Safety (CAPS). New technologies and devices are being developed to solve this problem.

New bar code technology is used in a safety infusion system designed to ensure that the correct patient is receiving the correct drug in the correct dose from an authorized clinician. Called DoseScan, this technology offers automated checks and balances to augment the manual procedures used today. Secondary protection is offered by DoseGuard, which notifies clinicians if institution-defined dose limits are exceeded. These are part of the Horizon Safety Infusion System of B. Braun (Melsungen, Germany). The company is also working to provide bar coding for all of its intravenous (IV) solutions and IV injectables.

Another new bar coding solution for IV medication combines the Admin-Rx point-of-care bar code scanning technology of McKesson Automation, Inc. (Atlanta, GA, USA) with the Guardrails IV error-prevention software of Alaris Medical Systems, Inc. (San Diego, CA, USA). Using a radio frequency network, the Admin-Rx system can communicate data in real-time to the Remote Data Server of Alaris, providing the caregiver with the ability to confirm the IV order. Prior to administering the medication, the caregiver will verify the infusion system parameters by scanning bar codes on the caregiver, medication, patients, and infusion channel, and this documentation will be instantly captured electronically.

Still another entry in this category is being offered by Baxter Healthcare Corp. (Deerfield, IL, USA), called Enlightened Bar Coding. This coding is for flexible IV bags, and includes lot number and expiration date information. Baxter has also introduced the Autros Point of Care System, a computerized, wireless patient information and medication management system that will also directly link to Baxter's Colleague CX infusion pump. This will help nurses compare the pump's setting (dosage, flow rate) with the doctor's order before starting infusion.




Related Links:
B. Braun
McKesson
Alaris Medical