Evaluation of barcode-assisted medication preparation technology for liquid medication doses.

This article evaluates the implementation and outcomes of barcode-assisted medication preparation (BCMP) technology integrated with an electronic medical record (EMR) system for oral syringe dose preparation in a health-system pharmacy at a large academic medical center. Over a two-year period, BCMP demonstrated high compliance (95%) and improved detection of near-miss medication preparation errors, particularly wrong ingredient scans involving lookalike, soundalike medications. The workflow also contributed to medication waste reduction by alerting staff to unnecessary preparations, supporting operational efficiency and patient safety. The study highlights BCMP’s role in enhancing verification processes, documentation, and regulatory compliance, while noting limitations related to medications lacking standardized barcodes and the need for further technological enhancements such as image capture.