Patient Medication Histories

The incidence of adverse drug events (ADEs) has been alarming.  A 2006  IOM report stated that at least 1.5 million preventable adverse drug events occurred in hospitals nationally. Though the Joint Commission has made accurate medication reconciliation National Patient Safety Goal #3, challenges remain. 

Often times, medication reconciliation processes are inefficient, inconsistent and not fully reliable. The process relies on gathering the medication history from the patient or family, and sometimes requires calling pharmacies, prescribing physicians or other caregivers.  Yet, for all that effort, the medication history is often incomplete, and when it relies heavily on patient or family recall, it may be inaccurate.

It’s an unfortunate scenario. Without a proper medication history, medication reconciliation is undermined and so is patient safety.   

Build a Foundation for Improved Safety
While there is no silver bullet for wiping out all adverse drug events, a standardized approach to medication reconciliation can go a long way to improve patient safety and the quality of care.  One study projects that up to 70 percent of potential errors and 15 percent of all ADEs could be prevented by standardizing the process.

That’s how Taylor Communication’s Rx History Capture can help you make immediate and significant improvements.  It enhances patient safety with an improved process and better information. By providing a consistent, reliable approach to gathering a comprehensive medication history, it helps establish a solid foundation for medication reconciliation.  And it does so very efficiently.

Consider the Benefits:

• Reduces opportunities for ADEs, enhances patient safety
• Provides a timely, objective snapshot of patient medications
• Simplifies the process of gathering and validating Rx histories
• Aligns with current workflows, adapts easily to any setting
• Improves communication between physicians and other caregivers with a consistently completed medication history
• Improves productivity of clinical and pharmacy staff
• Supports your efforts to meet National Patient Safety Goal #3