Integrating eMAR Plus with PillPacPlus: Streamlining Medication Administration for Safer Care
Medication management is one of the most critical aspects of delivering safe and effective care in residential settings such as care homes and supported housing. The complexity of multiple prescriptions, tight schedules, and regulatory demands can make medication administration a significant challenge for care providers. Fortunately, technology continues to evolve to meet these challenges head-on.
Leading the way are two solutions: eMAR Plus, an electronic Medication Administration Record (eMAR) system focused on user-friendliness and safety, and PillPacPlus, a pharmacy service providing pre-packaged, barcoded medication pouches. Together, they create a powerful partnership that simplifies medication rounds, enhances accuracy, and supports regulatory compliance.
This blog explores the integration between eMAR Plus and PillPacPlus, illustrating how this collaboration transforms medication management in care homes and beyond.
Understanding the Challenge: Medication Management in Care Settings
We know medication errors are a major concern across healthcare, particularly in nursing and residential care environments. According to a 2018 UK Department of Health and Social Care report, medication errors occur in millions of cases annually, leading to adverse events and avoidable harm. Miscommunication, complex regimens, and human error are often the root causes.
Care staff are expected to deliver the "five rights" of medication administration: right patient, right drug, right dose, right route, and right time. Achieving this reliably requires accurate prescriptions, clear communication, careful documentation, and consistent processes.
Traditional paper MAR (Medication Administration Record) systems, despite long-standing use, are prone to errors such as illegible handwriting, missed signatures, and difficulty tracking changes. Digital solutions like the eMAR Plus system have emerged to address these issues by providing clear, real-time medication records, alerts, and audit trails.
However, digitising records alone does not solve every problem. Medication dispensing and packaging also play crucial roles. This is where PillPacPlus comes in, offering barcoded, pre-packaged medications designed to integrate seamlessly with the eMAR Plus system, creating a unified and efficient medication management solution.
What is PillPacPlus?
PillPacPlus is a pharmacy-led medication packaging service tailored to the needs of care homes and healthcare providers. The service delivers medications in individual, clearly labelled pouches, each containing the exact medicines required for a specific administration time.
Key benefits of PillPacPlus include:
Accurate, Pre-Packaged Doses: Reducing manual counting and sorting by care staff, decreasing the risk of dose omissions or duplications.
Barcoded Pouches: Each pouch is labelled with a barcode linked to the resident’s medication profile.
Simplified Medication Rounds: Staff can quickly identify the correct pouch to administer, saving time and improving confidence.
What is eMAR Plus?
eMAR Plus is a UK-developed medication administration software designed specifically for care homes and nursing environments. It digitises the medication administration process to enhance accuracy, accountability, and compliance.
Key features of eMAR Plus include:
User-Friendly Interface: Intuitive and easy for care staff to use, with clear prompts guiding each step.
Real-Time Documentation: Medication administrations are recorded instantly, with time stamps and caregiver IDs.
Safety Alerts: The system flags missed doses, overdue medications, or potential allergies.
Audit Trails: Comprehensive records that facilitate inspections and internal reviews.
Integration Capabilities: Designed to connect with pharmacy dispensing systems like PillPacPlus for seamless medication updates.
How Does Integration Work?
The integration between eMAR Plus and PillPacPlus is a prime example of how technology partnerships can transform medication administration.
Pharmacy and Care Home Collaboration: The pharmacy prepares medication pouches for each resident according to the prescription schedule, attaching a unique barcode to each pouch that corresponds to the resident and administration date and time.
Real-Time Prescription Updates: When medication orders change, whether dose adjustments, new prescriptions, or discontinuations, the pharmacy updates the eMAR Plus system. This ensures care staff always have the most current medication information.
Barcode Scanning at Administration: Care staff use eMAR Plus on tablets or handheld devices to scan each medication pouch’s barcode before administration. This confirms that the right medication pouch is given to the right resident at the right time.
Automatic Documentation: Once scanned and administered, eMAR Plus records the event automatically, including the staff member’s identity, time, and any notes or refusals. This removes the need for manual recording, reducing transcription errors.
Stock and Supply Management: eMAR Plus tracks medication inventory, sending alerts when supplies run low, enabling timely reordering without delays.
The Benefits of Integrating eMAR Plus with PillPacPlus
1. Enhanced Medication Safety
Medication errors are reduced dramatically through barcode verification at the point of administration. This “double-check” process helps ensure that the medication delivered matches the prescription exactly. Real-time alerts flag missed or overdue doses, preventing harmful omissions.
Case studies from care homes using both systems report significant drops in medication administration errors. Staff confidence rises, knowing the technology supports their clinical judgement.
2. Increased Efficiency and Time Savings
Medication rounds are faster and less stressful. Barcode scanning with PillPacPlus and eMAR Plus confirms the patient, date, and time providing an additional safety check at the point of administration. Scanning a single barcode shows all medication scheduled for that time of day, making the verification process more straightforward and reducing the risk of errors. This streamlining allows staff to spend more time focusing on resident care rather than paperwork or sorting pills.
An independent study at Antrim Care Home showed that combining eMAR Plus and PillPacPlus pouches reduced medication administration time by over 50%.
3. Improved Accountability and Audit Readiness
Every medication administration is digitally logged with a caregiver’s unique login and timestamp. This detailed audit trail supports compliance with regulatory bodies like the Care Quality Commission (CQC) in England, which places great emphasis on accurate medication records during inspections.
Incorporating PillPacPlus into the workflow means pharmacies and care providers share responsibility for medication accuracy, creating a transparent, accountable system.
4. Seamless Communication Across Care Teams
Medication changes made by doctors or pharmacists are immediately reflected in the eMAR Plus system, providing care staff and clinicians with up-to-date information. If a change occurs to a treatment that has already been packed into PillPacPlus medication pouches, this requires manual intervention by the pharmacy or the care team to update.
Despite this, the integration between eMAR Plus and PillPacPlus reduces overall miscommunication between the pharmacy, care staff, and prescribing clinicians, fostering a safer medication environment.
5. Simplified Training and Onboarding
With the intuitive eMAR Plus interface and clear barcode-based medication administration, new or agency staff can be onboarded quickly. Staff find it easier to follow medication rounds confidently, reducing errors that might arise from unfamiliarity.
Real-World Experiences
At Radius Housing, Scheme Manager Helen Craig highlighted the impact of the combined system:
"The PillPacPlus packaging and eMAR Plus system have made medication administration simpler and safer. The barcode scanning feature means our staff can be sure they're giving the right meds at the right time. Plus, the training and ongoing support have been fantastic."
Similarly, Hutchinson Care Homes reported:
"Integrating PillPacPlus with eMAR Plus has transformed our medication rounds. The reduction in errors and time spent on documentation is remarkable. Our team feels more confident and residents safer."
Supporting Regulatory Compliance
Care homes in England must meet rigorous standards for medication management. The CQC’s Regulation 12 requires safe care and treatment, including accurate medication administration and documentation.
Both eMAR Plus and PillPacPlus are designed with compliance in mind:
Data Security: eMAR Plus uses secure logins and encrypted data, adhering to GDPR requirements.
Audit Trails: Time-stamped digital records are accessible for internal audits and regulatory inspections.
Medication Safety Policies: Barcode verification and real-time alerts align with NICE guidance on medication safety.
Controlled Drugs Management: Both systems support strict protocols for controlled substances, ensuring compliance with legal requirements.
How to Get Started
For care homes looking to adopt or upgrade their medication management processes, the combination of eMAR Plus and PillPacPlus offers a proven, effective solution.
Steps to implementation include:
Assessment: Review your current medication administration policy and workflow to identify pain points.
Engagement: Work with eMAR Plus and PillPacPlus teams to tailor the system to your needs.
Training: Ensure comprehensive, hands-on training for all staff involved in medication rounds.
Go Live: Implement the system with on-site support during the transition period.
Ongoing Support: Leverage live chat and customer service from eMAR Plus and PillPacPlus for continuous assistance.
Enhancing Care with eMAR Plus and PillPacPlus
Medication management in care homes is a complex, high-stakes process. Integrating eMAR Plus with PillPacPlus pharmacy services creates a safer, more efficient, and compliant approach to medication administration. The combination reduces errors, saves valuable time, and fosters confident, empowered care teams.
Effective medication management in nursing requires the right blend of technology and process, and this partnership exemplifies how modern tools can support a nursing care plan for medication management that truly works.
In the ever-evolving landscape of healthcare technology, embracing solutions that work seamlessly together is key to improving resident safety and quality of care. Care providers can look to the eMAR Plus and PillPacPlus partnership as a model for modern medication management.
If you’re involved in managing medication administration in a care setting, integrating eMAR Plus with PillPacPlus could make a real difference to your daily routine and resident safety. To find out more about how this combination can support your team and simplify medication rounds, feel free to get in touch or explore the resources available on our websites. We’re here to help you provide safer, more efficient care.
