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How often do physicians review medication charts on ward rounds?
1Dept of Pharmacology & Clinical Pharmacology, University of Auckland, Private Bag 92019, Auckland 1142, New Zealand. khangli@hotmail.com
BMC Clinical Pharmacology
|October 1, 2008
Summary
Physician medication chart review during ward rounds is inconsistent. General physicians reviewed charts 77% of the time, but frequency decreased with more patients seen, highlighting a need for improved medication safety practices.
Area of Science:
- Medical quality and safety
- Hospital medicine
- Pharmacovigilance
Background:
- Prescribing errors are a significant concern in hospitals.
- Regular medication chart review is advised for error reduction.
- The actual frequency of chart review during ward rounds is not well-documented.
Purpose of the Study:
- To quantify the frequency of medication chart review by specialist physicians during hospital ward rounds.
- To identify factors influencing medication chart review practices.
Main Methods:
- An observational study was conducted at Auckland City Hospital.
- Consultant physicians' medication chart review during ward rounds was unobtrusively observed.
- Data collected over a 26-week period from 21 physicians.
Main Results:
- General physicians reviewed medication charts in 77% of routine ward rounds and 65% of post-admission rounds.
- Subspecialty physicians reviewing fewer than 8 patients reviewed charts more frequently (88%) compared to those seeing more patients (61%).
- Significant variation in review frequency was noted among physicians.
Conclusions:
- Medication charts are not reviewed during every ward round.
- Increased patient load appears to correlate with decreased chart review frequency.
- Enhanced strategies are needed to promote consistent medication chart review for improved patient safety.
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