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Medication reconciliation in hemodialysis patients
1London Heath Sciences Centre, London, ON. seadna.ledger@lhsc.on.ca
CANNT Journal = Journal ACITN
|January 30, 2009
Summary
Medication reconciliation effectively identified and corrected medication errors in end-stage renal disease (ESRD) patients transferring between dialysis units. This process optimized pharmacotherapy and reduced potential harm from drug-related problems.
Area of Science:
- Nephrology
- Pharmacology
- Patient Safety
Background:
- Medication reconciliation is crucial for preventing adverse drug events (ADEs) during patient transitions.
- End-stage renal disease (ESRD) patients face high risks of drug-related problems (DRPs) due to polypharmacy and comorbidities.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the impact of medication reconciliation and optimization during the transfer of ESRD patients from in-centre to satellite dialysis units.
- To identify and rectify medication errors and optimize pharmacotherapy in this high-risk population.
Main Methods:
- Evaluated medication reconciliation and optimization processes in ambulatory care settings.
- Focused on patients transferring from in-centre hemodialysis to satellite dialysis units.
- Analyzed medication variances and their causes.
Main Results:
- Over 78% of patients experienced at least one unintended medication variance.
- Physician/nurse practitioner (NP) omission of existing medication orders was the most common cause (56%) of variances.
- Medication reconciliation successfully identified and corrected errors.
Conclusions:
- Medication reconciliation proved effective in identifying and rectifying medication errors for ESRD patients during dialysis unit transfers.
- The process optimized pharmacotherapy, enhancing patient safety and reducing potential DRPs.
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