Effective medication management relies on clear communication, accurate information and consistent processes between pharmacies and care homes. As workloads increase across both settings, gaps in the current system, particularly those linked to manual MAR charts, are becoming harder to ignore.
Pharmacies and care homes are both essential parts of safe medicine management. When they work together effectively, the entire medication cycle becomes safer, more efficient, and easier to manage for everyone involved.
These shared pressures highlight the need for clearer communication, more consistent processes and stronger ways of working together.
Key Medication Management Challenges Across Pharmacies and Care Homes
Across the sector, several persistent issues continue to undermine safety, consistency and efficiency.
- Manual MAR Processes Lead to Avoidable Errors
Paper MAR charts remain one of the highest-risk areas in medication administration. Handwritten entries can be unclear, incomplete or incorrectly transcribed, creating a higher likelihood of missed doses, inaccurate records and medication errors. Pharmacies regularly spend time correcting discrepancies, verifying unclear information and reprinting charts, diverting attention away from clinical priorities.
- Communication Gaps Create Delays and Inefficiencies
When medication changes, missing signatures or incomplete charts are returned to the pharmacy, it disrupts dispensing cycles and slows down the monthly process. Delays in receiving accurate MAR documentation impact ordering workflow, stock forecasting and overall medication safety. These issues create unnecessary pressure on both care homes and pharmacy teams.
- Regulatory Expectations Continue to Rise
Regulators increasingly expect care providers to evidence clear, consistent and auditable medication management processes. Paper-based MAR systems make it harder to demonstrate compliance, maintain complete records and provide accurate data during inspections. Achieving the required level of accuracy and transparency is significantly more challenging without structured digital records.
- Workload Across the Sector Is Increasing
Care homes are caring for residents with more complex needs, while pharmacies are balancing dispensing accuracy with clinical services, operational pressures and rising prescription volumes. Manual medication administration processes create additional workload that neither side has capacity to absorb.
The combination of inconsistent MAR documentation, communication delays, rising regulatory scrutiny and increasing workload highlights a clear need for more reliable, accurate and connected approaches to medication management. Stronger collaboration between pharmacies and care homes depends on systems that support clearer records, better communication and safer administration practices.
This is where eMAR is becoming a key part of modern medication management.
Why eMAR Is Becoming Essential for Both Pharmacies and Care Homes
As expectations rise, more care homes and pharmacies are adopting digital medication administration records to support safe, compliant and efficient practice.
- Clearer, More Accurate Medication Records
Digital records remove the issues created by unclear handwriting, missing signatures and manual transcription. Every administration is time-stamped, standardised and easy to review, reducing the risk of errors and inconsistencies that often occur with paper charts.
- Real-Time Visibility Improves Safety and Oversight
eMAR provides immediate access to administration data, missed doses and exceptions. This visibility supports safer rounds within care homes and allows pharmacies to identify issues earlier, helping address problems before they escalate.
- Stronger Communication Between Pharmacies and Care Homes
With structured, digital records, care homes can return complete and accurate information at the end of each cycle. Pharmacies receive a clearer picture of medication usage, stock levels and any administration issues, streamlining ordering and reducing the need for corrective back-and-forth.
- Better Support for Regulatory Compliance
eMAR systems create automatic audit trails that help demonstrate safe practice, accurate documentation and consistent processes. This supports both care homes and pharmacies when preparing for regulatory inspections and provides clearer evidence of compliance.
- Reduced Administrative Burden Across Both Settings
By removing manual recording, duplicate data entry and repeated queries over unclear MAR information, digital eMAR reduces the administrative workload for pharmacists and care staff. This frees up time for clinical tasks and resident care.
The Role of Pharmacies in Strengthening Shared Medication Practice
Pharmacies are central to safe medicines management. They generate the MAR documentation, support ordering processes, advise on medication changes and maintain accuracy throughout the dispensing cycle.
This means pharmacies directly influence how safe, reliable and efficient the shared medication process becomes.
Supporting Safer, More Reliable Monthly Cycles
Accurate and structured medication administration data reduces interruptions, clarifies information and limits the need for corrective work. When records are easier to interpret, pharmacies can focus more time on accuracy, clinical checks and supporting care teams.
Improving Visibility Across the Medication Cycle
Paper-based returns often leave pharmacies with incomplete or inconsistent information. Digital data provides clearer insight into stock usage, administration trends and potential issues, supporting better forecasting and reducing avoidable waste.
Strengthening Pharmacy–Care Home Communication
Clear, standardised medication information helps both sides work from the same set of facts. This supports safer handovers, reduces misunderstandings and helps maintain continuity of care, especially during busy cycles or when staff change.
Building More Efficient and Scalable Workflows
Rising demand means pharmacies need predictable, consistent processes. Reliable MAR information helps reduce reactive problem-solving and allows pharmacy teams to manage increasing workloads without compromising safety.
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For Care Homes |
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Digital medication management strengthens pharmacy practice by:
- Improving accuracy and reducing errors
- Reducing administrative workload
- Ensuring complete, consistent information returns from care homes
- Improving stock forecasting and ordering
- Reducing avoidable waste
- Supporting audit readiness
- Helping maintain safe dispensing during high-pressure periods
Digital records allow pharmacies to focus on clinical safety while reducing interruptions and discrepancies.
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Care homes also experience significant improvements when moving away from paper MAR charts:
- Clearer, easier-to-follow medication records
- Fewer interruptions from pharmacy queries
- Stronger evidence for regulatory inspections
- Quicker handovers between shifts
- Improved accuracy during busy rounds
- Increased confidence that information sent back to pharmacies is correct
By reducing errors and strengthening documentation, eMAR supports better resident outcomes and safer practice every day.
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How Analyst PMR and HxCare Created a Connected Solution
Pharmacies and care homes work at two ends of the same medication process, but paper MAR charts often break the link between dispensing and administration. When a care home works with a pharmacy using Analyst PMR and adopts HxCare as its eMAR, that connection becomes digital, structured and far more reliable.
Together, Analyst PMR and HxCare create:
- A unified flow of information from dispensing to administration and back again
- Significantly fewer transcription points, reducing avoidable discrepancies
- Clear, consistent end-of-cycle records that support accurate checking
- A stronger audit trail across both pharmacy and care home processes
- More predictable monthly cycles, with fewer delays and fewer queries
This integrated approach supports safer, clearer and more efficient medication management for both sides. Pharmacies gain reliable digital data. Care homes gain cleaner documentation and fewer interruptions. Both benefit from a medication cycle built on accuracy rather than manual paperwork.
For homes supported by pharmacies using Analyst PMR, the move to HxCare offers a clear advantage. The integration between the two systems creates one connected medication record, improving accuracy, communication and efficiency for both sides. This makes digital adoption simpler, safer and more effective for care homes that already rely on Analyst for their dispensing workflows.
Next Steps for Pharmacies and Care Homes
For partnerships working with Analyst PMR, the transition is even smoother. When a care home adopts HxCare, Positive Solutions’ eMAR solution, the two systems work together to create a connected medication cycle. This reduces avoidable errors, supports clearer communication and ensures both teams are working from accurate, aligned digital information every month.
If you're an Analyst pharmacy and would like support in helping your partner care homes transition to digital medication management, you can contact the HxCare team directly. We can reach out to the care home on your behalf and guide them through the full onboarding process.
If you're a care home exploring how digital eMAR could improve safety, communication and end-of-cycle processes, we're also happy to help. Our team can talk you through how HxCare works in practice and what it would look like in your setting.
📩 If you’d like to discuss how HxCare could support your pharmacy or care home, you can contact the HxCare team here.