Quality-monitoring program for bar-code-assisted medication administration.

Purpose: The implementation of a quality-monitoring program that identifies and corrects problems associated with using a bar-code-assisted medication administration (BCMA) system is described.

Summary: In November 2004, the Bar Code Resource Office assembled a work group to develop a quality program to improve machine-readable, bar-coded medications. The project scope involved the development of a pharmacy-based quality program for unit-dose packaging and bar-code labeling to improve the scanning success rate of bar-coded medications at the point-of-care.