Patient Safety - Medication Reconciliation

Experience from hundreds of medical facilities has shown that poor communication of a patient’s medical information is responsible for as many as 50% of all medication errors and up to 20% of adverse drug reactions in a hospital. This is a serious patient safety risk that can be avoided by continuously tracking each patient’s medication history to ensure that it’s up-to-date and accurate.

At SBUMC, each time a patient is admitted, moves from one setting within the hospital to another, or is discharged, our nurses and medical staff follow a standardized, medication reconciliation process to identify the most accurate list of all medications the patient is taking. We note the name of the medication, the prescribed dosage and frequency, and compare it with the patient’s previous medication list to reconcile any differences that could potentially cause them harm.  Ideally, you should keep a detailed list of medications that you take at home, in the hospital, and that are prescribed to you upon discharge. Unfortunately, not all patients do. A Health and Medication List form is provided to help you record your health information. You should take this list to all hospital, physician office, and medical testing visits and update it when changes are made. As a patient, we want you to feel comfortable asking questions about the medications and doses you are prescribed, and expressing any concerns you may have. By including you and your family in the medication reconciliation process, together, we can avoid a potential threat to patient safety.