Justin's Blog

 Archive for the ‘MAR’ Category

We have had a few discussions recently with users about the appropriate time to update a form and when to discontinue it and copy it to a new form.

Two common examples of this are with ISP Programs and Medication History (especially when using Medication Administration Records).

Each of these offer both the opportunity to update and to D/C and continue (assuming that you have the appropriate permissions).  

Here’s the difference:

If you are fixing a mistake on the form (for example a typo or spelling error) then you should use “Update”.

If what you are doing is changing the form in a way that it will work differently then you should discontinue it and copy to a new form.  

Examples of this would be:

• Changing a task on an ISP Program
• Changing the start date on a medication
• Changing the comments on a medication

The reason for this is to do with the way that Therap archives data.  ISP Data and ISP Reports are based on a specific ISP Program and will always relate back to them.  If you change the ISP Program, there will be data out there that won’t make sense with the way the program is written after changes.  However if you are just fixing a mistake, then this will apply to all the correct data.  To help with reporting, Therap links ISP Programs that have been generated using the D/C and Copy feature.

It’s similar for meds.  The MAR is based on a specific Medication History form, so if you change data that is reflected on the MAR, it will be kept syncronized in both places.  If you want to change the Med History form but keep the MAR the way it is then you should D/C and copy.  This is very similar to what you would do on paper when you get a new prescription.  Basically, if it is a new prescription then it should be a new Med History form too.

If you have any questions about this then please get in touch with us.

:: Justin ::

When we brought in medication scheduling in 9.0 it opened up a world of possibilities.  There is however a bit of a problem.  Not all possibilities for med scheduling can be done through the scheduler that is built into the Medication History module.

Well, we have a solution, and a very cool one at that which can basically copy with any scheduling routine you have.

All you need to do is go to your MAR and switch to Configuration Mode, you can now click on any cell to make it scheduled or remove the scheduling.

You can now define exactly the schedule you want your staff to see!

:: Justin ::

Along with all the other cool things that happened this weekend, Apple released it’s first Therap device.  They call it the tPad, but I like to think of it as the iMAR.

More feedback when I have done some more playing.

:: Justin ::

The big announcement today was Apple’s iPad.

What’s the iPad you ask?

Basically it’s a great big iPod Touch.  In other words it could be a really handy thing to stick on a med-room wall to complete you MARs or carry with you to do your Therap documentation really easily.  It costs about $500, which is interesting because I have seen touchscreen devices for Nursing Homes which retail for about $1500 each!

:: Justin ::

In Therap 8.2 (scheduled for release at the end of this month) we will bring out our first link with the First Databank Drug Database.

This is really exciting.  If you upgrade to include a subscription to this service, you will be able to look up any drug just by typing in some of its name:

Then you will get a full list of all the variants of that medication.

Then, with just a click on the “Add” button your Medication History (and MAR) is populated and you have full access to the information about that drug!:

As always you can click to get bigger images. 

Now when you go to the MAR there is a link to “Drug Details”

This will give you access to all the drug information, even a picture of the pill!

It is all very, very exciting!

You will need to contact us to have this feature turned on and there is an additional cost (we have to busy the information in the database and all the updates). 

For pricing, check out your price sheet or contact us.  Remember there is very special pricing for those of you who joined the MAR Beta Program.

:: Justin ::

We are happy to inform you that we will soon be releasing Version 8.1 of the Therap Applications. In this release, along with other modules, we have also updated the Medication Administration Record (MAR) module .

Please note that, to access MAR in 8.1, users will now require a new set of MAR specific roles instead of the Health Tracking (HT) roles (HT Submit, HT Update and HT View). Following are the new MAR Roles which will be introduced in 8.1:

1) MAR Configuration Approve – With this role, users will be able to Approve an MAR.

2) MAR Data Submit – This Role is for user who will be entering Data in MAR.

3) MAR Data Update – This role will allow users to update the previously submitted data.

4) MAR Data View – Users with this role will be able to view the approved MAR forms and generate MAR reports.

Once Therap 8.1 is released, please update the super roles of the users who are currently working with the MAR module, for them to be able to access MAR.

Please feel free to write to us with your questions and suggestions.

Thank you.


Sazzad Rafique
Senior Software Engineer
Therap Services, LLC

Once you have created your MARs and staff have done all their documentation, you’ll want to find new ways to use all that wonderful information that you have at your fingertips.

We are introducing a new flexible report generator that will look something like this:

I am sure there will be much more to show you soon!

:: Justin ::

And produce output like this:

An easy way to get reports on things like PRNs give, med follow ups, missed meds etc!

Of course if you still hanker for a straight printout, we’ll give you that too!

OK, let’s take a look at how you will set up an MAR when Therap 8.1 is released:

Basically you can set up any month’s MAR in advance (or look at old ones).  Obviously this is all based on having the correct roles assigned to you.

As usual, if you click on a screenshot, you’ll get to see it and many more in Flickr.

Having chosen the MAR you want to set up, you’ll get a screen something like this:

Here you can work on the meds and administration times for the MAR.  Of course noone will be able to document administration until the correct month comes around and the MAR has been approved.

Now let’s look at the new MAR itself:

As you can see we have changed it a little so that there is almost a mini-MAR for each med.  This not only makes it easier to see what date you are one, but allows us to display much more information about the medication.  This will be particularly useful as we move forward with integration with First Databank‘s medication database.

You’ll also notice how staff initials now show up making it easier to see at a glance who administered what.  More info on initials here.

There are also a few changed when you go in to actually document giving the med.  You’ll notice the red square for when a med was missed.  You can also document a PRN along with it’s follow up:

Next time we’ll look at some of the reports and a new take on archiving that I really like!

:: Justin ::

As you most probably know, we brought out the first Beta release of MARs in Therap 8.0.  Since then we have had loads of feedback and barrowloads of suggestions from users around the country.

Based on all of that we will be bringing our next beta version of Medication Administration Records in Therap 8.1 which we hope to be delivering to you around the end of this of this month.

Probably this biggest single change that we have made is that now each month’s MAR is it’s own entity which can be set up in advance and reviewed afterwards.  In doing this we are also creating a full set of roles so that you can control who can do what both in terms of configuring the MAR and documenting the administration of medication.

In order to make these changes work the way we want them do we have added some new features elsewhere in the system.

Now, when you go to add a medication to your Medication History, you will be able to say exactly what time that medication is supposed to be administered (useful even if you aren’t using MAR)

Also, when you give meds we are now able to display your initials (which I think we will probably use elsewhere too in the future)

Your unique initials will be defined in your user profile.

Next time I’ll show you how these come together on the new MAR.

:: Justin ::