Adopting an electronic medication administration system in long-term care facilities: a key stakeholder interview study in Macao

ABSTRACT

To improve medication safety for residents in long-term care facilities (LTCFs), electronic medication administration records (eMARs) are widely adopted in Macao. This study aimed to (1) develop a logic model for adopting eMAR in LTCFs and (2) explore the contextual factors relevant to the implementation. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with key stakeholders (managers, doctors, nurses, pharmacy staff and other frontline workers) experienced with eMAR in LTCFs in Macao between February and March 2021. Purposive sampling was used for recruitment and thematic analysis followed the theoretical framework of the logic model. All 57 participants were positive about eMAR. Financial and nonfinancial resources were critical to adopting eMAR. eMAR was mostly used for its functions in documentation, e-prescribing and monitoring. Immediate output included simplified working process, reduced errors, closer monitoring of residents’ conditions, and timely communication among staff. The outcomes mainly related to efficiency, safety and quality of care, workload redundancy, and data unification. Key influencing factors included eMAR flexibility, stability, and technical support. Adopting eMARs is highly consuming and the benefits in improving quality of care can only be realized with appropriate implementation, precise execution, regular evaluation and responsive adjustment. The proposed logic model framework serves as a roadmap for LTCFs, both current and future users of eMAR.

KEYWORDS:

• Electronic medication administration records
• quality of care
• long-term care facilities
• logic model

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank all the participating LTCFs for their support to this study and all the participants for their participation.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Author contributions

KCL: Carried out literature review. Collected and handled data. Prepared data for analysis. Interpreted the results. Drafted the manuscript. ZL: Collected and handled data. Prepared data for analysis. Interpreted the results. HH: designed the study, supported data analysis, and critically reviewed the manuscript. ZC, JL, CIL and TFC: Collected and handled data. Prepared data for analysis. Supported the writing of the manuscript. COLU: conceptualized the research, designed the study, verified the data analysis results, and critically reviewed the manuscript. All authors approved the final manuscript.

Additional information

Funding

The study was funded by the University of Macau (reference number: SRG2021-00007-ICMS and MYRG2022-00229-ICMS).