Using a novel patient medication list for ambulatory pediatric patients within a hospital-based complex care program

Medication errors are common in the pediatric outpatient setting, and children with multiple prescriptions are at increased risk. Little is known about medication reconciliation's application in the ambulatory setting. Caregivers' perceptions of a patient medication list (PML), created for children with complex health needs, were assessed.

Caregivers of children followed by a tertiary care hospital ambulatory complex care program from February through December 2009 were enrolled in the study. An electronic PML software was nested within a clinical database. At the clinic visit, the medications were updated in the database by a nurse practitioner, and a PML was created and printed for the caregivers. Caregivers were asked to complete a pre-questionnaire before using the PML and a post-questionnaire 12 weeks later.

The pre-questionnaire demonstrated that 19 (68%) of 28 caregivers expected the PML to be very helpful. After a mean of 19.3 weeks, on the post-questionnaire, 14 (50%) of the 28 caregivers reported that the PML was very helpful, 10 (40%) of 25 caregivers used the PML at every follow-up clinic visit, and 18 (67%) of 27 caregivers were satisfied with the PML. Five (18%) of 28 caregivers strongly agreed that the PML increased their knowledge of the child's medications, and 3 (11%) of 28 caregivers strongly agreed that the PML helped them remember to give the child's medications at home.

A subset of caregivers in a complex care program reported that a PML was helpful during interactions with their medical team. Yet in general, caregivers did not find the PML helpful in increasing their medication knowledge or reminding them to administer their child's medications.