The Effects of Medication Reconciliation in an Inpatient Unit of a Community Hospital
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Abstract
Objective: To investigate the effects of the implementation of medication reconciliation process in an inpatient unit of a community hospital. Methods: A pharmacist collected drug use history of 456 patients, with chronic diseases and having to use medication on regular basis, who were admitted to the study hospital during Dec 2008-Jun 2009. The pharmacist collected drug use history from the patients themselves, their relatives, the examination of medication taken by patients, institutions where the patients received previous treatment and the record within the study hospital. The pharmacist compared the drug use history with the medication prescribed by the physician during the admission and discharge. The discrepancies were communicated to the attending physicians to find out whether they were intentional. The unintentional discrepancies were regarded as medication errors. The pharmacist informed the physicians on error and asked them for the resolution. Results: 6.84% (n=31) and 12.94% (n=59) of patients encountered medication errors at the admission and discharge stage, respectively. After contacted by the pharmacist, the attending physicians corrected all the medication errors encountered at the admission stage, and corrected 57 of 59 errors in the discharge stage. 5.04% and 5.92% of the discrepancies in the admission and discharge stage could not be definitely identified as medication errors. Medication errors or discrepancies (potential to be errors) did not reach 62.86% of the patients who encountered them as a result of medication reconciliation process. However, the errors or discrepancies (potential to be errors) reached 31.42% of patients who them with no harm done. The errors or discrepancies (potential to be errors) reached 5.71% of patients who encountered them with no harm done but close monitoring needed. Conclusion: The implementation of medication reconciliation process if effective in identifying and preventing the medication error.
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ผลการวิจัยและความคิดเห็นที่ปรากฏในบทความถือเป็นความคิดเห็นและอยู่ในความรับผิดชอบของผู้นิพนธ์ มิใช่ความเห็นหรือความรับผิดชอบของกองบรรณาธิการ หรือคณะเภสัชศาสตร์ มหาวิทยาลัยสงขลานครินทร์ ทั้งนี้ไม่รวมความผิดพลาดอันเกิดจากการพิมพ์ บทความที่ได้รับการเผยแพร่โดยวารสารเภสัชกรรมไทยถือเป็นสิทธิ์ของวารสารฯ
References
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