Hospital Using Patient Barcodes
Claxton-Hepburn Medical Center, Ogdensburg, has an unlikely new tool for saving patients' lives, but it isn't a piece of surgical equipment. It isn't a new drug, and it isn't a new procedure.
Instead, the hospital is using something familiar to anyone who has bought groceries: The barcode.
In an effort to prevent dangerous medication errors, the hospital is changing its identification bracelets to include barcodes.
Gregory Guimond, director of pharmacy services at the hospital, said the barcodes will add an extra level of safety to make sure the correct medication is given to the right patient.
"In the order process, you have checks and balances in the health care system," said Mr. Guimond. "The physician writes the order, a pharmacist verifies it and dispenses it, and the nurse checks to make sure it is the right medication. Right now, when the nurse goes to give it to the patient there is nothing making sure that the check is there for the nurse."
The hospital previously relied on the watchful eyes of its nurses to make sure the medication is administered correctly.
"It is all based on human error right now and skill," said Janice Rogers, the project manager for the transition to the new bracelets. "Our best efforts are normally very good, but there is always a chance for error, and we're trying to minimize that."
Mr. Guimond said medication errors are rare, but that the hospital has had problems in the past.
"It hasn't been a real problem, but as with any human process there are occasional errors that happen," he said. "The largest error comes upon administration by the nurse."
If an error occurs, a patient could be given an overdose or a drug to which they are allergic.
"The severity of the outcome for a patient is based on the actual medication," said Ms. Rogers. "We are trying to close the loopholes so that there are no areas of breakdown."
Ms. Rogers said the hospital will be ready to go live with the new bracelets in two weeks.
"We're going live first with three units in a phased in approach," she said. "We'll start with obstetrics, acute rehabilitation and the intensive care unit."
The transition to the new bracelets has been a huge undertaking, she said.
"The big portion of it is equipment. You have to get wrist band stock; you have to get printers; you have to have instant pediatric adult wrist bands; you have scanners," she said.
The hospital has also had to train staff to use the new equipment.
Ms. Rogers did not know the total cost of the project.
"But it is sizable," she said. "It was budgeted for, and so far we did not go outside that budget."
Ms. Rogers said that if all goes well, the bracelets will be used in other areas of the hospital starting with medical and surgical nursing care units on Feb. 13.
