A Medication Administration Record (MAR) is a report detailing the drugs administered to a patient by a healthcare professional across all types of healthcare facilities. MARs in healthcare are also known as drug charts or simply a medical chart. A digital MAR system will often be integrated into an electronic health record (EHR) system, and these electronic versions are sometimes referred to as eMARs.
The primary purpose of the MAR is to accurately record a patient’s medication usage, reducing dosing errors and potentially harmful interactions. The MAR must be filled out each time a patient takes a dose of any medication, leaving a clear timeline for the next attending professional to read and understand.
Why is a Medication Administration Record Important?
MARs are a critical aspect of healthcare across multiple settings. Without ways to track who is administering medications and what medication a patient has taken, errors can occur. Missed medications can lead to serious problems, as can too much of a drug. If an on-call attendant gives painkillers and doesn’t log it, the next attending physician may do the same and cause an overdose. But if that physician errs on the side of caution and doesn’t provide any pain relief, they could potentially leave a patient in distress.
Patient safety and comfort are paramount, so all medical staff must be able to access information on medication details relating to each patient. However, it’s also important for healthcare operations. Medication records provide a timeline of actions that help streamline patient treatment and subsequent documentation. They allow for accountability and ensure resources aren’t wasted.
MARs aren’t just used in hospital and clinic settings; they’re also essential in facilities like care homes. With 1.1 million dependent adults residing in care homes across the United States, having methods for tracking their regular and ad hoc medications is essential. MARs let care staff know when meds were taken, how much was taken, and may even highlight when the next dose is due. The ability to digitally record this data and integrate it with EHRs creates a safer and more healthful environment for care home residents.
The FDA is sent over 100,000 reports each year relating to medication errors. Deploying and utilizing intuitive MARs can help keep those errors to a minimum.
Key Benefits of Using a Medication Administration Record (MAR) in Healthcare
Of course, the primary benefit of MARs is patient safety. MARs also allow nurses, doctors, and other professionals to focus on a compassionate approach to care, prioritizing comfort and reducing pain and distress. Other benefits include:
Accountability and traceability: Understand who prescribed what and when, empowering medical professionals to liaise with prescribing physicians to gather more patient data if required. Quickly sourcing the original prescriber can help the new attendant confirm that they’re providing the right medication if they have any doubts.
Reduced risk of medication errors: As well as under- or overdosing patients, incorrect medication records can lead to drug interactions that could cause further health issues. Correctly completed MARs eliminate this risk.
Communication and collaboration: When patients are moved from one department or specialist to another, the MAR goes with them, helping different medical areas collaborate effectively over treatment programs. Digital MARs provide this collaborative data in real-time.
MARs can also be used to leave special instructions, such as customized dosage instructions or patient requests, for example, chewable tablets or liquids where required.
Overview of a MAR
The format of the Medication Administration Record varies based on the requirements of the hospital or other treatment facility. Most MAR formats capture the following information:
The name of the medical facility
Patient details, including name, date of birth, sex, and any diagnosed conditions
Medication administration times and dates
The medication name and dosage, and notes if the dosage is not standard
The name of the administering professional
If a medication is not administered as prescribed, it must be noted. Comment fields can give the provider a place to explain why or note any side effects they’re concerned about. Abbreviations used must be to a standard that’s understood across the facility to avoid confusion.
In some cases, signatures may be required from the provider, nurse, and/or patient each time a medication is given. They may also log any current medications the patient was taking when they arrived at the facility. Here is one example of a MAR, but there are many different variations depending on the type of facility.
These documents, whether physical or digital, are absolutely essential for tracking the medication a patient takes and ensuring their safety and comfort.
Key Features of a MAR System
MAR systems help improve patient outcomes by ensuring the correct information is in front of the right people at the right time. If a patient is moved, for example, the receiving physician should be able to access their details instantly using an electronic MAR system or eMAR system. Here are the essential features of any effective and efficient digital MAR solution.
Integration with EHR Systems
Medication tracking goes hand-in-hand with access to a patient’s medical history and the ability to quickly update patient records. With that in mind, effective MAR systems should fully integrate with existing EHR systems.
Medication Tracking
Tracking the medication a patient has taken is the primary purpose of a MAR system. While patient safety and a compassionate approach to care are the most important reasons for tracking medication, there are other benefits. MAR systems can become a critical aspect of clinical data management, allowing healthcare providers to assess how much of certain types of medication they’re using and the driving factors behind that. This can help with budgeting and pre-ordering medication ahead of cold and flu season, for example. Your MAR system can become an essential aspect of revenue cycle management.
Alerts and Notifications
A great MAR system will alert physicians when medications are due or overdue and provide notifications for special requests. Ideally, facilities should be able to customize the alert processes and workflows so that the MAR and EHR systems offer useful and relevant data that promotes efficiency and better patient outcomes.
How TempDev Can Help With the MAR
TempDev's team of NextGen consultants, developers, and trainers support your needs whether you’re looking to implement, switch, or upgrade your current EHR system — including when you need to integrate digital MARs. From dashboards and revenue cycle consulting to automation and workflow redesign, TempDev offers the tools you need to make the most of your NextGen EHR system, with top tips and tricks that will ensure your success now and in the future.
Medication Administration Record Summary and Reporting
Once you have the right systems in place, you can use information collected from MARs to create meaningful reports, sometimes integrating further data from other sources within the EHR system. One of the most common reports is a MAR Summary. These summaries typically give an overview of medications taken over a given period of time.
More detailed MAR reports feature a wide range of criteria, such as PRN medications (Pro Re Nata or “take as needed”) usage and data on drug categories. With the right consultant on your side, you can create systems that support the bespoke reports you need to keep your finance teams and other stakeholders happy.
With TempDev's NextGen dashboards, templates, and reports, you can better support your patients' needs. Our team is here to help you design, organize, and implement the whole system. Team members are also on hand to offer tips and guidance based on industry best practices.
Contact us here or by calling us at 888.TEMP.DEV to get help working with a Medication Administration Record.
Interested?
Agree with our point of view? Become our client!
Did you enjoy this read? Feel free to share it with your contacts.
