How care providers are managing medication through eMAR systems

Everything you need to know about Digital MAR Charts 

eMAR stands for Electronic Medication Administration Record and is a digital version of a paper MAR chart that care providers use to record medication administration at their care home.  

The market-leading electronic medicines management system, ATLAS eMAR, has proven to increase resident safety and improve care home efficiency, by enabling care providers to deliver the right medication at the right time.  

The system digitally links care homes to GP prescribing systems and pharmacy dispensing systems, giving care providers easier access to their eMAR data.  

In addition, it offers care homes greater flexibility and the freedom to work with their preferred pharmacies.​ 

eMAR systems make it easy for care homes to keep residents’ medical records accurate and up to date by allowing care providers to digitally manage, schedule, and track resident medication and keep staff informed of their resident's allergies. 

In addition, both nursing staff and pharmacies are updated with the resident's medication plan. 

Instead of care workers muddling through paper files, staff can use ATLAS eMAR's interactive system to keep track of each resident's profile. eMAR systems such as ATLAS eMAR, one of the most popular eMAR systems on the market, help care providers to manage the booking in and reordering of medication and alert care staff when levels are running low. This hand-held device not only offers real-time information for pharmacists, who can check for prescribing errors, it also strengthens the partnerships between care homes, GPs and pharmacies, allowing for better integration and collaboration. 

ATLAS eMAR, an NHS-accredited system, massively decreases the potential risk of medication errors and gives carers more time to spend with residents instead of completing and checking paperwork or making phone calls regarding medication. 

ATLAS has been proven to eradicate 21 out of 23 common medication errors associated with paper MAR charts, improves “missing entries” by 80% and saves an average of 65 staff hours per month.

ATLAS eMAR - Benefits all round 

Everything that care home providers and commissioners want: Safety, efficiency, and accountability. 

Benefits to Residents & Families 

• Safe administration of medicines 
• Clear instructions on how to use medicines 
• Support with self-administration 
• Facilitated reviews of medicines 
• Continued supply of medicines 
• Timely administration of medicines 
• Monitoring of how the resident is feeling 
• Feedback on the service delivery 
• Improved medicines optimisation 
• Improved Quality of life 

Benefits to Care Home Team 

• Improved Medicines optimisation 
• Continual monitoring of resident’s wellbeing 
• Continual monitoring of quality of service 
• Reduce risk 
• Efficiency 
• Accountability 
• Training and competency 
• Cost 

Benefits to NHS & Health Board 

• Reduce drug waste 
• Reduce polypharmacy 
• Reduce hospital admissions 
• Information about the delivery of care 

Benefits to Pharmacy Team 

• Improved resident outcomes 
• Efficient medicines management 
• Efficient dispensing/ communication  
• System to prevent dispensing errors 
• Tracking of dispensed medicines 

ATLAS eMAR - Is it for me? 

Have a read of what our customers say about ATLAS eMAR 

ATLAS eMAR has allowed us to reduce the need and reliance on paper MARs, which led to poor recording. We have more ability to manage stock levels in our care homes using the ATLAS eMAR interface. We have been able to audit all aspects relating to medicines management, especially where information for CQC inspections is concerned. 

Mark Clements, Group Operations Manager, Springdene Care Homes

Brundall Care Home saves hours on stock control and ordering with Atlas eMAR. I can’t fault it; everybody loves using the system. The guys who do the administration tell me how much it has cut down the time needed to do the rounds, which is fantastic.

Sarah Stuttle, Manager, Brundall Care Home

ATLAS eMAR is very impressive because it supports the pharmacist by providing additional safeguards through the dispensing process (e.g. clinical checks and scanning of stock boxes).

Geoff Thomas, Pharmacy Business Owner, Malpas Wales

Speak to us today about ATLAS eMAR and how it could work for you.