A Partnership:
American Hospital Association
Health Research and Educational Trust
Institute for Safe Medication Practices
Pathways
Medication Safety for SM
Assessing
Bedside
Bar-Coding
Readiness
Tool 3 Contents Summary 12/3/02 11:31 AM Page 1
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Assessing Bedside Bar-Coding Readiness
3.iii
Pathways for Medication Safety sm .................
2002
©
American Hospital Association, Health Research & Educational Trust, and the Institute for Safe Medication Practices www.medpathways.info bar-coding technology for drug administration in health care. A list of supplemental reading also is included.
Section 3.2 presents a self-assessment tool for evaluating a health care organization’s readiness for implementing a bedside bar- coded drug administration system. The self- assessment tool helps organizations evaluate specific elements that are most closely associated with successful implementation of a bedside bar-coded drug administration system. The size and complexity of each organization will vary and should be considered when discussing the prerequisites to successful implementation.
The tool is accompanied by several attach- ments that serve as examples of elements described in the self assessment:
A template for a technology vendor request for proposal (RFP).
A worksheet to estimate the cost savings associated with implementing technology.
Examples of cause and effect diagrams and a
Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (FMEA) for a bedside bar-coded drug administration system that demonstrates anticipated failure points and their causes.
Process
1. Establish a multidisciplinary team with broad representation. This tool includes specific recommendations about the composition of the team, but each hospital needs to carefully consider what constituencies should be represented at their organization. Consider areas that will be using the system, such as interventional radiology and nuclear medicine, and determine the appropriate level of their involvement. Information technology professionals need to be included in the early stages of assessment.
2. Disseminate
Section 3.1 to team members and also to others who will influence or eventually implement a bedside bar-coded drug administration system. Where appropriate, disseminate the list of