SynthesisBMJ open2021
Interdisciplinary systematic review: does alignment between system and design shape adoption and use of barcode medication administration technology?
Synthesis in BMJ open, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 7 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
7 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.
- A Systematic Review of Quantitative Methods for Evaluating Electronic Medication Administration Record and Bar-Coded Medication Administration Usability.Applied clinical informatics · 2023Pooled it
- Facilitators and barriers in using barcode technology to ensure safe medication dispensing, preparation, and administration in a children's hospital: a focus group study for clinical pharmacists.International journal of clinical pharmacy · 2026Article
- Impact of barcode medication administration on patient safety in UK hospital settings: protocol for a mixed-methods realist evaluation.BMJ open · 2025Article
- The impact of inpatient medication administration technologies on nursing autonomy and practice: a meta-ethnographic synthesis of the qualitative literature.Journal of the American Medical Informatics Association : JAMIA · 2025Article
- Facilitators and Barriers Associated With the Use of Barcode Technologies in Drug Preparation and Administration in Hospital Settings-A Narrative Review of Qualitative Studies.Journal of patient safety · 2025Article
- Barcode medication administration system use and safety implications: a data-driven longitudinal study supported by clinical observation.BMJ health & care informatics · 2025Article
- "Are we there yet?" Ten persistent hazards and inefficiencies with the use of medication administration technology from the perspective of practicing nurses.Journal of the American Medical Informatics Association : JAMIA · 2023Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
4 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundIn order to reduce safety risks associated with medication administrations, technologies such as barcode medication administration (BCMA) are increasingly used. Examining how human factors influence adoption and usability of this technology can potentially highlight areas for improvement in design and implementation.
objectiveTo describe how human factors related determinants for BCMA have been researched and reported by healthcare and human-computer interaction disciplines. DATA SOURCES: The Cumulative Index of Nursing, and Allied Health Literature, PubMed, OVID MEDLINE and Google Scholar. STUDY ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA: Primary research published from April 2000 to April 2020, search terms developed to identity different disciplinary research perspectives that examined BCMA use, used a human factors lens and were published in English. SYNTHESIS
methodsComputerised systematic searches were conducted in four databases. Eligible papers were systematically analysed for themes. Themes were discussed with a second reviewer and supervisors to ensure they were representative of content.
resultsOf 3707 papers screened, 11 were included. Studies did not fit neatly into a clinical or human-computer interaction perspective but instead uncovered a range of overlapping narratives, demonstrating consensus on the key themes despite differing research approaches. Prevalent themes were misaligned design and workflow, adaptation and workarounds, mediating factors, safety, users' perceptions and design and usability. Inadequate design frequently led to workarounds, which jeopardised safety. Reported mediating factors included clarity of user needs, pre/post implementation evaluations, analysis of existing workarounds and appropriate technology, infrastructure and staffing. LIMITATIONS: Most studies were relatively small and qualitative, making it difficult to generalise findings.
conclusionEvaluating interdisciplinary perspectives including human factors approaches identified similar and complementary enablers and barriers to successful technology use. Often, mediating factors were developed to compensate for unsuitable design; a collaborative approach between system designer and end users is necessary for BCMA to achieve its true safety potential.
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What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.