Medication Reconciliation – reminder for primary care providers

Medication errors are among the most prevalent patient safety incidents in the U.S., with more than 40% attributed to inadequate medication reconciliation during the hospital admission, transfer, and discharge processes. The consequences of medication error for patients can range from mild to severe to lethal. Fortunately, with proper medication reconciliation across the continuum of patient care, many of these errors can be avoided.     
  
Medication reconciliation is an integral part of the Transitions of Care HEDIS measure and a Joint Commission National Patient Safety Goal since 2005. Defined by the National Institutes of Health as the process of comparing a patient's medication orders to all the medications that the patient has been taking, medication reconciliation should be performed during every transition of patient care, when new medications are ordered, or existing orders are modified. Because the process often involves multiple health care professionals in multiple settings, it’s essential for your practice to establish a standard medication reconciliation procedure, with clearly defined roles for physicians, nurses, pharmacists, and other members of the care team.    
  
It’s also important to include your patients in the medication reconciliation process so that when called upon, they can address questions about their medication history. Engaging patients in the process also provides the opportunity for you to gauge their level of knowledge about their medications and treatment and identify discrepancies that could lead to harmful medication errors.   
  
As a reminder, when a CarePartners of Connecticut member discharges from an inpatient facility, one of our nurse care managers will outreach to them within the first week of discharge to complete a medication reconciliation by phone prior to their transition-in-care appointment. We encourage providers to schedule visits with patients within 30 days of discharge, if not sooner.    
  
When implemented consistently, medication reconciliation can help prevent errors of omission, duplication, and dosing, as well as adverse drug reactions and interactions that could lead to hospital readmission. We are grateful for the attention you provide to this critical process and look forward to our continued collaboration on behalf of CarePartners of Connecticut members.