AIM: To assess continuity of medication management during transition from hospital to residential care facilities (RCFs). METHOD: Telephone interviews with RCF staff were performed 24 hours after patient transfer to determine the proportion of patients with: missed or significantly delayed doses; RCF medication chart not written/updated in time for the first dose; suitably packed medications not available for the first dose; and RCF medication chart written/updated by a locum doctor. Retrospective audit was used to identify discharge summary discrepancies. RESULTS: Seventy-five doses for 37/202 (18.3%) patients were missed or significantly delayed in the 24 hours after discharge. One hundred and twenty-five (61.9%) patients did not have their medication chart written/updated and 77 (38.1%) did not have suitably packed medications available for the first dose. Locum doctors wrote RCF medication charts for 66 (32.7%) patients. One hundred and ninety-seven of 392 (50.3%) changes to regularly scheduled medications were communicated. CONCLUSIONS: Strategies are needed to address gaps in the continuity of medication management.
AIM: To assess continuity of medication management during transition from hospital to residential care facilities (RCFs). METHOD: Telephone interviews with RCF staff were performed 24 hours after patient transfer to determine the proportion of patients with: missed or significantly delayed doses; RCF medication chart not written/updated in time for the first dose; suitably packed medications not available for the first dose; and RCF medication chart written/updated by a locum doctor. Retrospective audit was used to identify discharge summary discrepancies. RESULTS: Seventy-five doses for 37/202 (18.3%) patients were missed or significantly delayed in the 24 hours after discharge. One hundred and twenty-five (61.9%) patients did not have their medication chart written/updated and 77 (38.1%) did not have suitably packed medications available for the first dose. Locum doctors wrote RCF medication charts for 66 (32.7%) patients. One hundred and ninety-seven of 392 (50.3%) changes to regularly scheduled medications were communicated. CONCLUSIONS: Strategies are needed to address gaps in the continuity of medication management.
Authors: Rohan A Elliott; Tim Tran; Simone E Taylor; Penelope A Harvey; Mary K Belfrage; Rhonda J Jennings; Jennifer L Marriott Journal: BMJ Open Date: 2012-05-25 Impact factor: 2.692
Authors: Patrick Redmond; Ronald McDowell; Tamasine C Grimes; Fiona Boland; Ronan McDonnell; Carmel Hughes; Tom Fahey Journal: BMJ Open Date: 2019-06-04 Impact factor: 2.692
Authors: Alice V Gilbert; Bhavini Patel; Melanie Morrow; Desmond Williams; Michael S Roberts; Andrew L Gilbert Journal: BMC Health Serv Res Date: 2012-12-10 Impact factor: 2.655