Introduction
Out of all medical errors, medication administration mistakes account for the most common, harming at least 1.5 million people every year, according to a 2006 report from the Institute of Medicine of the National Academies (IMNA). Medication errors can cost hospitals and health care plans billions of dollars every year leading administration to look for programs and implementations on how to cut down and eventually eliminate medication errors.
At this alarming rate of error, many hospitals have now created many programs for safety while implementing Health information technology (HIT) as the fore front of innovation. One implementation is the computer physician order entry (CPOE) that is used by physicians to help eliminate
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Although barcode scanning is very effective at reducing errors and providing a way to easily maintain patient records, it does not go without some slight human error. The advantages are clear. But some of the disadvantages may not be. Error reduction vs error proof are very different. I have personally run into barcode scanning issues with barcodes being duplications, the barcode not registering in the system, new medications not having any barcode at all, having to remember to reset all devices associated with the barcode so they will not show up on the next patients medial record and scanners not connecting to the base and needing to be calibrated. With these and a few more it can make for a not so seamless process. However, even with all of these thing mentioned barcode scanning is still very easy to use, even for the least technology-savvy nurses. Barcode scanners are small, durable and even mobile. Benefits are reassuring and well needed, which contributes to the hospital staff willing and wanting to use the technology …show more content…
Automatic data storage and record keeping from scanning is not only an amazing advancement in healthcare technology but also a step toward possibly error free medication administration. This is nothing but beneficial to patients who need nothing more to worry about than just getting better while hospitalized. My personal experience has opened my eyes to the advancing technology and given me the chance to be a part of the advancement of health care computerized systems. Barcode scanning is paving a way in healthcare that can potentially be even more advanced and could possibly store all healthcare information in the barcode itself which could help with identifying patients that come in altered and who can not identify