Hospitals are increasingly using electronic medication administration records to track patient medication doses.
The systems, which allow providers to track a medication from order to administration, are correlated with higher nursing satisfaction, improved teamwork, improved drug information accuracy and patient safety over time, according to a 2012 study published in Computer Information Nursing. eMAR systems are included as a Stage 2 meaningful use core measure.
To attest to meaningful use, hospitals must process at least 10 percent of their total medication orders through an eMAR. Hospitals with an average daily inpatient census of fewer than 10 patients are exempt, according to CMS. The ONC published updated data about hospital usage of eMARs in March.
Here are 8 statistics about the current eMAR use.
1. 70 percent of medications administered in stage 2 hospitals tracked all doses through an eMAR.
2. 64 percent of small rural hospitals are tracking all doses through an eMAR.
3. 75 percent of medium-sized hospitals are tracking all doses through an eMAR.
4. 75 percent of hospitals who attested to stage 2 meaningful use in 2011 are tracking all doses through an eMAR, compared to 68 percent of hospitals who attested to stage 2 meaningful use in 2012.
5. 56 percent of hospitals that selected e-prescribing use it for permissible discharge medications.
6. 64 percent of critical access hospitals are using electronic discharge prescription.
7. 48 percent of medium-size hospitals are using electronic discharge prescription.
8. 57 percent of small rural hospitals are using electronic discharge prescribing.