Medication reconciliation is the process of comparing a patient's medication orders to all of the medications that the patient has been taking. This reconciliation is done to avoid medication errors such as omissions, duplications, dosing errors, or drug interactions. It should be done at every transition of care in which new medications are ordered or existing orders are rewritten. Transitions in care include changes in setting, service, practitioner or level of care.
Medication errors commonly occur at points of transition in care, such as at admission, during transfer from one department to another, or at discharge. Poor communication among staff at these transition points is often the main cause of these errors. With an effective medication reconciliation process, previous medication orders are compared against new orders and health care providers reconcile any differences in a standardized and consistent manner.
The purpose of this program is to highlight the need for implementing an effective medication reconciliation process in health care organizations, and to provide insights into the key elements of an effective process.
This educational activity, "Medication Reconciliation: The Foundation for Safe Medication", is funded in part by an unrestricted educational grant provided by HealthCare Systems, Inc. HealthCare Systems, Inc. delivers integrated medical information systems developed by clinicians for health care professionals designed to improve patient care and reduce costs. For further information, visit www.hcsinc.net or call (334) 279-9711.
Length: 44 minutes
Available in DVD only
Price: $275
