|
 |
J Clin Outcomes Manage
2006 Aug;13(8):441-444
Medication reconciliation: are we meeting the requirements?
Holzmueller CG, Hobson D, Berenholtz SM, Feroli ER, Schwarz M, Wyskiel RM, Poe S, Pronovost PJ
Abstract Objective: To evaluate 2 medication reconciliation processes used at an urban academic medical institution. Methods: Results from a prescriber-led medication reconciliation process developed in response to a Joint Commission (JCAHO) patient safety goal were compared with a nurse-led reconciliation process implemented prior to the JCAHO requirement. Discharge orders on inpatients from 2 surgical intensive care units (ICUs) were reviewed. We calculated the percentage of ICU discharge orders with a prescriber signature attesting that reconciliation was done that contained at least 1 medication error. We defined a medication error as when the prescriber changed the ICU discharge order based on the nurse-led medication reconciliation process. Results: The nurses reconciled discharge orders from 104 patients in the ICUs. Of 104 discharge orders, 44 (42%) had a prescriber sign as reconciling the compiled medication list with the discharge order, and of those, 23 (52%) had at least 1 medication error identified by the nurse-led reconciliation. Conclusion: While our institution-wide prescriber-led medication reconciliation process met the JCAHO requirement, it had limited effectiveness for preventing errors in 2 ICUs. Given the resources devoted to meeting the JCAHO patient safety goal regarding medication reconciliation and limited evidence regarding the effectiveness of broad implementation, this patient safety goal could be reconsidered.
Original Research
Search the Turner White index to find abstracts of articles published in JCOM.
|
