Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 25, 2026
06:59
A Novel Approach for the Administration of Medications and Fluids in Emergency Scenarios and Settings
Published on: November 9, 2016
Adherence to emergency department discharge prescriptions
Corinne M Hohl1, Riyad B Abu-Laban, Jeffrey R Brubacher
1Department of Emergency Medicine, Vancouver General Hospital, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. chohl@interchange.ubc.ca
CJEM
|March 11, 2009
Summary
Nearly 40% of patients discharged from the emergency department (ED) show medication nonadherence. Antibiotic prescriptions were linked to better adherence, but adverse drug events and multiple medications may increase nonadherence risks.
Area of Science:
- Pharmacology
- Health Services Research
- Patient Adherence
Background:
- Medication nonadherence significantly increases patient morbidity, mortality, and healthcare utilization.
- Effective strategies are needed to improve medication adherence in patients discharged from emergency settings.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the rates of prescription-filling and medication adherence among patients after emergency department (ED) discharge.
- To identify factors associated with medication nonadherence in this patient population.
Main Methods:
- A prospective, observational study was conducted in a Canadian tertiary care ED.
- Prescription-filling was assessed via a provincial database 2 weeks post-discharge.
- Patient interviews evaluated adherence, adverse drug-related events (ADREs), and unplanned healthcare revisits.
Main Results:
- Of 258 participants, 19.8% failed to fill prescriptions and 40.3% were nonadherent to at least one medication.
- Antibiotic prescriptions correlated with lower nonadherence (OR 0.21).
- Trends indicated higher nonadherence with ADREs (OR 1.84) and multiple coprescribed medications (OR 1.71). Nonadherent patients showed a trend toward increased revisits (OR 1.75).
Conclusions:
- Approximately 40% of ED-discharged patients exhibit medication nonadherence.
- Prescribing antibiotics may improve adherence.
- Further research is warranted on nonadherence links to ADREs, polypharmacy, and healthcare service use.
Related Concept Videos
01:31Discharge Summary Forms
The discharge summary is crucial as it enables a smooth transition from a healthcare facility to a patient's home or another care setting. This critical document facilitates seamless continuity of care, ensuring patients receive the necessary support and attention.
Here's a detailed look at the key components and guidelines for preparing a discharge summary:
Here's a detailed look at the key components and guidelines for preparing a discharge summary:
01:26Types of Reports III: Telephone and Verbal Reports
Telephone and Verbal Reports in healthcare settings are two communication methods for conveying therapeutic instructions from healthcare providers to nurses or other healthcare staff.
Here's an overview of each type:
Telephone Orders
Here's an overview of each type:
Telephone Orders
01:18Guidelines and Strategies for Safe Computer Charting
The guidelines and strategies provided by the American Nurses Association (ANA) and the Canadian Nurses Association (CNA) offer essential principles for ensuring safe and secure computer charting systems in healthcare settings. Let's break down each recommendation:
Maintain Confidentiality and Security:
Maintain Confidentiality and Security:
01:19Modified-Release Drug Delivery Systems: Overview
Modified-release dosage forms are designed to address the limitations of drugs with short biological half-lives. These forms maintain stable therapeutic drug concentrations over extended periods, reducing the need for frequent dosing. A consistent drug level helps minimize peak-trough fluctuations, which can reduce adverse effects, lower the risk of drug resistance, and improve overall treatment effectiveness.One common type of modified-release form is the extended-release (ER) formulation. ER...
01:30Guidelines for Nursing Documentation I
Quality documentation and reporting share essential characteristics that ensure they are practical and valuable resources for those who use them. These characteristics are:
Factual:
The following points emphasize the significance of upholding accurate and unbiased documentation in healthcare.
Factual:
The following points emphasize the significance of upholding accurate and unbiased documentation in healthcare.
01:28Drug Therapy
The advent of drug therapy has profoundly shaped modern mental health care, providing targeted treatments for a range of psychological disorders. Psychotherapeutic drugs, classified into antianxiety, antidepressant, and antipsychotic medications, address symptoms across anxiety disorders, mood disorders, and schizophrenia. While these medications have transformed patient outcomes, they require careful management due to their potential side effects and limitations.
Antianxiety Medications
Antianxiety Medications