IMPROVING MEDICATION RECONCILIATION DURING PATIENT TRANSITIONS OF CARE

Medication reconciliation is essential in hospitals, ensuring that a patient’s home medication list aligns with prescribed medications during admissions, transfers, and discharges. This process is crucial for preventing medication discrepancies that can lead to adverse drug events (ADEs) and jeopardize patient safety. This quality improvement initiative aimed to assess whether a standardized medication reconciliation policy at Duke University Hospital would improve completion rates among Advanced Practice Providers (APPs). Using the Iowa Model of Evidence-Based Practice, the project focused on identifying barriers, enhancing clinician engagement, and employing electronic health record (EHR) tools. A literature review confirmed that standardized protocols and educational outreach significantly enhance reconciliation rates while reducing discrepancies and ADEs. The intervention included educational sessions and the distribution of tip sheets to facilitate EHR tool usage. Data collected over a four-week implementation period will compare reconciliation completion rates before and after the intervention. Preliminary findings suggest that the standardized approach increased medication reconciliation rates, highlighting the importance of structured processes and effective communication in promoting patient safety.