Supporting people with their medicines is one of the highest-risk parts of homecare. Paper medication administration record (MAR) charts have served agencies for years, but they share one weakness: the office only finds out about a problem when the chart comes back, which can be weeks after the visit.
What an electronic MAR changes
- Problems are visible straight away. A missed or late dose shows up in the office as it happens, not at the end of the month.
- Records are complete and legible. Care workers record each dose at the visit, with the time and their name attached.
- Changes reach the visit. When a prescription changes, the next visit sees the new instructions rather than an out-of-date chart.
- Audits take minutes. Medication compliance can be reviewed across all clients without collecting and checking paper charts.
Getting the basics right
Going digital does not change the principles. Your medicines policy, the training and competency checks for care workers, and the level of support each person needs still come first. NICE guideline NG67, Managing medicines for adults receiving social care in the community, remains the reference point for good practice, and your eMAR should support your policy rather than replace it.
- Make sure the level of medicines support for each person is agreed and recorded in their care plan.
- Check that care workers are trained and assessed as competent before they support with medicines.
- Decide who in the office reviews missed and late doses each day, and what they do next.
- Keep a clear process for reporting and learning from medication errors.
How CEVERO Care helps: eMAR in CEVERO Care sits alongside the care plan and the visit record. Care workers record doses at the visit on the mobile app, and missed and late doses are flagged to the office, with medication compliance reports ready for your audits. Book a demo or see every feature.