PROTOMED BRINGS CARE INTO 21ST CENTURY WITH LAUNCH OF BEMAR BARCODING TECHNOLOGY - October 2011

Protomed, creator of Biodose, the world's only monitored dosage system to accommodate liquid medicines launched BeMAR, the world's first fully portable, handheld medication tracking device designed to 'leave no stone unturned' in the fight against drug error. The system helps the care sector address a glaring source of error innate to the paper-based MAR system – the inaccurate recording of data.

Working in tandem with the Biodose medication management system, BeMAR (Biodose electronic MAR) is supplied with barcodes pre-printed onto Biodose pods. Using the BeMAR wireless scanner which is synched to an iPad, domiciliary carers, nurses or care home staff scan the Biodose pod during their rounds. The iPad then displays an electronic MAR sheet and allows staff to access prescription information from the BNF database, plus patient data taken from medical records at the touch of a button. Staff use BeMAR's touch screen to log whether medication is taken or refused, at what time and who administered it. The live data is fed instantly into a database, eliminating the potential for error that commonly occurs with handwritten records.

The BeMAR data can be accessed immediately by care home managers and used to identify patterns in patient adherence and monitor staff performance. "To prosper, the pharmacies must help the care industry must tap into the NHS' technology agenda, and BeMAR is a vital step in that direction", commented Norman Niven, Protomed's CEO. "Put simply, BeMAR will not allow the user to make a mistake – this is hugely compelling for care organisations striving to do more with less. Even pre-launch, we have had a tremendous response from care homes looking to tap into this technology, which is the only barcode-based system to be truly portable and accommodate both liquid and solid medications". The cost of Biodose and BeMAR is shared between the care home or domiciliary care provider and the pharmacy.

The only such portable handheld device on the market, BeMAR gives the caring community the prospect of improved patient outcomes, reduced round times and less drug wastage. Following the launch of BeMAR, Protomed plans to bring to market Telepak, an SMS-based telehealth solution which will further expand its range of pro-adherence solutions.

Read more about about BeMAR in the latest issue of the Pharmaceutical Journal