Med e-care Blog: Canada

eMAR and the Role of Medical and Health Service Managers

Written by Med e-care | Jun 14, 2023 1:45:00 PM

 

If you operate a senior living community, you know just how important it is to ensure that your residents receive top-notch care. But it may seem easier said than done, especially when you consider the many challenges facing the industry today.

So how can you streamline your community's operations and improve overall resident care? 

One fantastic way is to implement senior living eMAR (electronic Medication Administration Record) in your community. eMAR is a digital system that lets you accurately track and record medication administration in real time.

But eMAR doesn't just improve the medication administration process. It also tackles other common challenges that medical and health service managers face and helps them improve in their roles.

How so? Read on to find out.

Common Challenges for Medical and Health Service Managers

Managing a senior living community is a complex and demanding job that poses many challenges. Let's consider three of the most common.

Maintaining Compliance

Regulatory compliance refers to the process of adhering to the rules, guidelines, and regulations established by governing bodies in the medical and health industry. Maintaining compliance is crucial because it helps protect both the residents and the organization from potential harm or legal issues.

However, staying up-to-date with ever-changing rules and regulations can be difficult. Managers have to constantly monitor new policies and adapt their practices accordingly. 

On top of that, each regulation often comes with its own set of documentation and reporting requirements, adding to the already complex workload. And with a diverse staff and multiple departments to oversee, making sure everyone's on the same page and following the rules can be quite the balancing act.

Training Staff

Proper staff training ensures that employees are equipped with the knowledge and skills necessary to provide safe, high-quality care for residents. 

But providing effective and consistent training can be a challenge for medical and health service managers — especially as regulations and best practices continue to evolve. Managers also have to juggle staff members with diverse skill sets, making it tricky to provide effective and consistent training for everyone. 

Furthermore, the ongoing healthcare staffing shortage and high turnover rates don't help matters. Managers must constantly train new team members and try to keep enough staff to cover basic resident care.

Performance Measuring and Reporting

Performance measuring and reporting involve collecting and analyzing data related to the quality of care and services provided in a senior living community. 

This information is invaluable for medical and health service managers. It allows them to identify areas for improvement, allocate resources effectively, and make well-informed decisions.

However, accurately measuring and reporting performance can be challenging for many managers. One of the main challenges is the sheer volume of data that needs to be collected, analyzed, and reported. With multiple departments, staff members, and residents, keeping track of all that information can be quite the juggling act.

Let's not forget that the data needs to be accurate and up-to-date, which means constantly monitoring and updating records.

As if that wasn't enough, managers also need to stay on top of ever-changing industry regulations and best practices to ensure their performance metrics align with the latest standards.

It can be a lot to handle. So how do you combat these challenges to ensure the success of your organization? Consider implementing an eMAR system.

How eMAR Helps

How exactly can an eMAR system address the common challenges that medical and health service managers face? Let's dive into some key benefits and features that eMAR technology can offer.

Thorough Data Collection

Data collection is crucial in the senior living industry. It provides valuable insights into resident needs, preferences, and overall well-being.

Some of the data you'll commonly find in an eMAR include:

  • Medication administration records
  • Vital signs
  • Medical history
  • The staff who administered the medication

With traditional MAR, you'd have to scribble all that patient information onto paper charts or spreadsheets, which was time-consuming and error-prone.

However, eMAR eliminates all these concerns. It easily integrates with your electronic health record (EHR), pharmacy dispensing software, and point-of-care systems. 

What does this mean for you? 

eMAR collects and centralizes resident data in a user-friendly platform where staff members can input, store, and manage essential medication information. You'll always have the most accurate and up-to-date information about your residents right at your fingertips.

By using an eMAR system, you'll get a better understanding of your residents' needs. As a result, you can make more informed decisions and provide the high-quality care they deserve.

Compliance Insights

Senior living eMAR helps maintain compliance organization-wide by automatically tracking and documenting medication administration processes. This ensures that all required information is properly recorded and easy to find. 

eMAR ensures that medical staff record accurate medical data, including the right:

  • Medication
  • Time
  • Resident
  • Dose
  • Route
  • Documentation

eMAR can also provide compliance insights by:

  • Generating reports on medication administration trends
  • Identifying potential areas on non-compliance
  • Alerting managers to potential issues before they become problems

Trend Monitoring

Trend monitoring involves tracking changes and patterns in your community's operations over time. By monitoring these trends, you can identify and allocate resources effectively.  

In a senior living community, you might want to keep tabs on things like:

Senior living eMAR automatically tracks relevant medication administration data and generates reports that provide valuable insights into how your community's doing. You can use that information to tailor staff training and other interventions to tackle any issues. You'll ultimately improve resident outcomes, satisfaction, and engagement by doing so.

Finding Your Perfect eMAR

Using senior living eMAR technology offers numerous benefits for senior living communities, including improving resident outcomes, optimizing revenue, maximizing occupancy goals, and retaining staff more effectively.

But how do you find the perfect eMAR? Start by carefully considering your community's needs and priorities. Then, carefully research different eMAR systems. Compare their features, pricing, and user reviews to find the best fit for your community.

Are you ready to take your senior living community to the next level with eMAR? Partner with Med e-care, Canada's most comprehensive senior living technology solution! 

With our years of expertise and robust support system, we can help you enhance resident care, streamline operations, and remain compliant. Schedule a demo today to experience how our wide variety of targeted solutions can support your community's success.