MCKESSON

Description of Event or Problem

OUR HOSPITAL USES AN ELECTRONIC MEDICATION RECORD MANUFACTURED BY MCKESSON. THERE HAVE BEEN NUMEROUS OCCASIONS OF MEDICATIONS BEING MISSED COMPLETELY OR DELAYED BECAUSE OF THIS PROGRAM. FREQUENTLY THE SYSTEM WILL ADVISE THAT THERE ARE NO MEDICATIONS DUE AT A PARTICULAR TIME, BUT, THEN, LATER ADVISE THAT THERE ARE LATE MEDICATIONS THAT WERE ACTUALLY DUE AT THAT TIME. THERE HAVE BEEN FREQUENT OCCURRENCES OF MEDICATIONS BEING "DROPPED" OFF THE ELECTRONIC MAR RESULTING IN THE PT NOT RECEIVING DOSES FOR SEVERAL DAYS OR EVEN THE ENTIRE HOSPITALIZATION. I COULD GO ON AND ON ABOUT THE PROBLEMS WITH THIS SYSTEM, BUT THERE SEEMS TO BE NO RESOURCES FOR US TO COMPARE ELECTRONIC MEDICATION DISPENSING PROGRAMS AND NO MONITORING OR MANDATORY REPORTING OF ADVERSE EVENTS FOR THESE SYSTEMS THAT ARE WIDELY USED THROUGHOUT OUR HEALTHCARE SYSTEM. THERE IS ALSO NO "IN HOUSE" QUALITY MONITORING OF THIS SYSTEM.