Medication Discrepancy Risk Factors for Pediatric Patients With Epilepsy at Hospital Admission

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Neurology
• Pharmacovigilance
• Quality Improvement in Healthcare

Background:

• Children with epilepsy are prone to medication errors, especially during care transitions.
• Inaccurate medication histories upon hospital admission contribute to adverse events.
• A quality improvement project aimed to optimize medication reconciliation for pediatric epilepsy patients.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate and enhance the medication history process for pediatric epilepsy patients admitted to a hospital.
• To identify and reduce medication discrepancies in this vulnerable patient population.

Main Methods:

• A retrospective chart review analyzed 30 pediatric epilepsy patients admitted in 2018.
• Medication discrepancies were identified by comparing 6 data sources.
• Data sources included electronic medical records, clinic notes, and insurance claims.

Main Results:

• 63% of patients experienced at least one unintentional medication discrepancy.
• Omissions in medication history (31%) and inpatient orders (27%) were most common.
• Discrepancies frequently involved daily maintenance anticonvulsants (63%).

Conclusions:

• Pediatric epilepsy patients exhibit a high incidence of anticonvulsant discrepancies upon hospital admission.
• The absence of a standardized medication reconciliation process is the primary cause.
• Standardizing processes is crucial for improving medication safety in pediatric epilepsy care.