A comparison between medication reconciliation by a pharmacy technician and the use of an online personal health record by patients for identifying medication discrepancies in patients’ drug lists prior to elective admissions

Author(s):  
Denise J van der Nat ◽  
Margot Taks ◽  
Victor J B Huiskes ◽  
Bart J F van den Bemt ◽  
Hein A W van Onzenoort
Author(s):  
Denise J. van der Nat ◽  
Margot Taks ◽  
Victor J. B. Huiskes ◽  
Bart J. F. van den Bemt ◽  
Hein A. W. van Onzenoort

AbstractBackground Personal health records have the potential to identify medication discrepancies. Although they facilitate patient empowerment and broad implementation of medication reconciliation, more medication discrepancies are identified through medication reconciliation performed by healthcare professionals. Aim We aimed to identify the factors associated with the occurrence of a clinically relevant deviation in a patient’s medication list based on a personal health record (used by patients) compared to medication reconciliation performed by a healthcare professional. Method Three- to 14 days prior to a planned admission to the Cardiology-, Internal Medicine- or Neurology Departments, at Amphia Hospital, Breda, the Netherlands, patients were invited to update their medication file in their personal health records. At admission, medication reconciliation was performed by a pharmacy technician. Deviations were determined as differences between these medication lists. Associations between patient-, setting-, and medication-related factors, and the occurrence of a clinically relevant deviation (National Coordinating Council for Medication Error Reporting and Prevention class $$\ge$$ ≥ E) were analysed. Results Of the 488 patients approached, 155 patients were included. Twenty-four clinically relevant deviations were observed. Younger patients (adjusted odds ratio (aOR) 0.94; 95%CI:0.91–0.98), patients who used individual multi-dose packaging (aOR 14.87; 95%CI:2.02–110), and patients who used $$\ge$$ ≥ 8 different medications, were at highest risk for the occurrence of a clinically relevant deviation (sensitivity 0.71; specificity 0.62; area under the curve 0.64 95%CI:0.52–0.76). Conclusion Medication reconciliation is the preferred method to identify medication discrepancies for patients with individual multi-dose packaging, and patients who used eight or more different medications.


Trials ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 17 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Carola J. M. Groenen ◽  
Marjan J. Faber ◽  
Jan A. M. Kremer ◽  
Frank P. H. A. Vandenbussche ◽  
Noortje T. L. van Duijnhoven

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