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Protomed has launched BeMAR, the world’s first portable, handheld medication tracking device designed to ‘leave no stone unturned’ in the fight against drug error.
The system offers pharmacies an opportunity to be among the first to bring barcoding technology to the care home and domiciliary care sector, helping address a glaring source of error innate to the paper-based MAR system – the inaccurate recording of data.
Working in tandem with the Biodose medication management system, BeMAR (Biodose electronic MAR) reads barcodes pre-printed onto Biodose pods in the pharmacy.
Using the BeMAR wireless scanner which is synched to an iPad, domiciliary carers, nurses or care home staff scan the Biodose pod during their rounds.
The iPad then displays an electronic MAR sheet and allows staff to access prescription information from the BNF database, plus patient data taken from medical records at the touch of a button.
Staff use BeMAR’s touch screen to log whether medication is taken or refused, at what time and who administered it.
The live data is fed instantly into a database, eliminating the potential for error that commonly occurs with handwritten records.
The BeMAR data can be accessed immediately by care home managers or pharmacists and used to identify patterns in patient adherence and to monitor staff performance.
“To prosper, pharmacy must tap into the NHS’ technology agenda and BeMAR is a vital step in that direction”, said Norman Niven, Protomed’s CEO.
“Put simply, this system will not allow the user to make a mistake – this is a hugely compelling selling point for pharmacies working to maintain and build revenue within the care sector.
“Even pre-launch, we have had a tremendous response from care homes looking for a pharmacy that can supply this new service, which bodes very well for BeMAR’s success.”
The cost of Biodose and BeMAR is shared between the pharmacy and the care home or domiciliary care group.
BeMAR gives pharmacists a powerful USP in offering their care home customers the prospect of improved patient outcomes, reduced round times and less drug wastage.
Following the launch of BeMAR, Protomed plans to bring to market Telepak, a telehealth solution which will further expand its range of pro-adherence solutions.
