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Technology and Medication Safety |
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In the last 10 years, there has been much work done to improve medication safety. In the classic To Err is Human IOM report of 2000, the authors wrote of how computerized order entry, barcode technology and smart pumps would help to completely eliminate errors. It hasn't quite turned out that way. In an article on the Patient Safety and Quality website, pharmacist Tim Vandereen examines the promise and the pitfalls of utilizing advanced medication safety technology. One promise is a truly "closed loop" system, where a medication order passes through CPOE to pharmacy information systems directly into a smart pump, confirmed with barcode technology. Another technology-based solution is linking respiratory monitoring directly into patient controlled analgesia pumps. Who knows what we'll have in another 10 years!
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