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Posthospital medication discrepancies: prevalence and contributing factors
Eric A Coleman1, Jodi D Smith, Devbani Raha
1Division of Health Care Policy and Research, University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, Aurora, CO 80011, USA. Eric.Coleman@uchsc.edu
Archives of Internal Medicine
|September 15, 2005
Summary
Medication discrepancies affect 14.1% of older adults post-hospitalization. Both patient and system factors contribute, increasing rehospitalization risk. Solutions addressing both are crucial for medication safety.
Area of Science:
- Geriatric Medicine
- Patient Safety
- Pharmacology
Background:
- Medication safety is a national concern, yet older adults face unique challenges during care transitions.
- Posthospital medication problems for elderly patients are understudied.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the prevalence of medication discrepancies in older adults after hospital discharge.
- To identify factors contributing to these posthospital medication discrepancies.
Main Methods:
- A study included 375 community-dwelling adults aged 65+ with selected conditions.
- A geriatric nurse practitioner conducted home medication assessments within 72 hours of discharge.
- The Medication Discrepancy Tool was used to categorize discrepancies and contributing factors.
Main Results:
- 14.1% of older patients experienced medication discrepancies.
- Contributing factors were equally split between patient-associated (50.8%) and system-associated (49.2%).
- Discrepancies were linked to the number of medications and congestive heart failure, and increased 30-day rehospitalization risk (14.3% vs. 6.1%).
Conclusions:
- A significant proportion of older patients face medication discrepancies upon returning home.
- Addressing both patient- and system-related factors is essential for improving medication safety during this vulnerable transition.
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