Drug Delivery Patches

Important Information for Patients

When preparing for an MRI scan, all medication patches must be removed as a safety precaution, this applies to both Inpatients and Outpatients.

1. Why must medication patches be removed?
   
   • Risk of thermal injury/burns: Certain patches contain metal (like aluminum) in their backing, which can heat up during the MRI and cause intense, localized heat, burning the skin.
   • Risk of increased drug absorption: MRI radiofrequency energy can heat up the medication, the skin and the patch, potentially causing your body to absorb it at a different rate than intended.
2. Outpatient Instructions:
   
   • If you are an outpatient and cannot go without your medication for the duration of your MRI (multiple hours), then you must arrange an alternative medication plan with the prescribing physician before your MRI appointment.
   • At the time of scheduling, you will be informed:
     “Your medication patch will need to be removed during your MRI scan. If it is not possible to remove your patch for the duration of the scan, please contact the prescribing physician to develop an alternate plan. Please bring this plan with you to your MRI appointment, or your scan may be canceled for safety reasons.”

Outpatient Workflow for MR personnel

1. During Scheduling:
   
   • Inform patients of the need to remove their medication patch
   • Advise them to contact their prescribing physician to arrange an alternative plan if the medication cannot be paused for the scan duration.
2. On the Day of the MRI:
   
   • If the patient arrives without removing their medication patch and has NO alternative medication plan:
     
     • Do not proceed with the scan.
     • Inform the patient and reschedule the appointment once their medication management is resolved.

Inpatient Workflow for MR personnel

1. Before Sending Patient to MRI:
   
   • The patient’s care team is responsible for coordinating the removal of the medication patch.
   • Ensure the patch is removed and disposed of properly before sending the patient to MRI.
   • Alternative medication plan may be necessary for successful completion of the MRI and management of patient’s symptoms.
2. If the Patient Arrives in MRI Wearing a Medication Patch:
   
   • Step 1: Notify the patient’s bedside nurse immediately.
   • Step 2: Document the situation in Epic “Edit Notes” using the following format:
     Date/Time/MR Tech Name - “Patient Name/MRN# arrived in MRI with a medication patch. Nurse notified to remove and waste the patch with a witness. Awaiting nurse arrival.”
3. Best Practices:
   
   • The nurse is responsible for:
     
     • Removing and disposing of the medication patch.
     • Ensuring the disposal is witnessed (either by a bedside nurse or MR technologist).
     • Documenting the removal and disposal in the appropriate charting areas within Epic.
   • The MR technologist must:
     
     • Record compliance and completion in Epic “Edit Notes.” Use the following format:
       Date/Time/MR Tech Name - “Nurse (Name) arrived and removed medication patch, wasted with witness (Name).”
     • Avoid sending the patient back to their floor unless absolutely necessary, avoid delay of care and imaging when possible.
4. If the Patch Cannot Be Promptly Addressed:
   
   • Nursing personnel must come to MRI to remove and dispose of the patch properly.
   • Ensure the process is documented in Epic by the nurse.
5. Incident Reporting (IR):
   
   • If an inpatient arrives at MRI wearing a medication patch:
     
     • File an Incident Report (IR) to help identify trends and improve compliance.
     • Include relevant details regarding the situation and how it was resolved.
6. Medication Management for Critical Cases:
   
   • If the medication is critical and cannot be paused:
     
     • The care team must order and arrange an alternative route for administering the medication.
     • Coordinate this plan prior to the MRI scan to avoid delays.

Key References for Staff

Policies to Review:

• “Transdermal Patch Management Protocol”
• “MR Patient Preparation”
  These policies provide detailed guidance on patch removal, disposal, and patient preparation steps for MRI safety.

Key Takeaways for Patients and Staff

• Patients: Always remove medication patches before an MRI, and plan ahead if you require alternative medication arrangements.
• Staff: Ensure compliance with patch removal protocols to prevent patient harm and maintain MRI safety standards. Document all steps thoroughly in Epic and file IRs for non-compliance to improve overall workflows

Last updated 9/1/26