Medication problems occurring at hospital discharge among older adults with heart failure

Medication reconciliation problems are common among older adults at hospital discharge and lead to adverse events. The purpose of this study was to examine the rates and types of medication reconciliation problems among older adults hospitalized for acute episodes of heart failure who were discharged home. This secondary analysis of data generated from a transitional care intervention included 198 hospital discharge medical records, representing 162 patients. A retrospective chart review comparing medication lists between hospital discharge summaries and patient discharge instructions was completed to identify medication reconciliation problems. Most hospital discharges (71.2%) had at least one type of reconciliation problem and frequently involved a high-risk medication (76.6%). Discrepancies were the most common problem (58.9%), followed by incomplete discharge summaries (52.5%) and partial patient discharge instructions (48.9%). More attention needs to be given to the quality of discharge instructions, and the problem of vague phrases (e.g., "take as directed") can be addressed by adding it to "do not use" lists to promote safer transitions in care.