BARRY’S BAY – A local long-term care facility will look a little more futuristic come February 2014.
The Valley Manor Nursing Home in Barry’s Bay has announced that it will begin implementing the Electronic Medication Administration Record (EMAR,) which is expected to improve patient safety as well as overall efficiencies for nurses.
Medication carts, which are used to distribute various medications to the residents, will soon have a small computer attached. The computer will contain pertinent information about the residents including allergies and current medications.
Currently, everything is recorded on paper.
Gail Yantha, director of care at the home, is looking forward to the switch.
“It’s exciting and we are looking forward to improving and having the best quality resident care that is possible,” Yantha said. “One of the features of it too, is that it will lessen any adverse drug events that are linked with errors in transcription. The number one benefit really, will be resident safety.”
It is a joint partnership between the manor, Lorraine’s Pharmacy in Barry’s Bay and Point Click Care. The three parties had their first configuration meeting on January 3, where they discussed how the program would unfold over the next month.
Stephen Goodyear, who is the long-term care pharmacist from the local pharmacy, credited pharmacy owner Chris Briggs for both his financial and time commitments to the upgrade.
Goodyear added there will be a significant amount of time for training staff at both the pharmacy and the manor.
Read more in the January 8, 2014 issue of The Valley Gazette.