Patient knowledge and information concerning medication on discharge from hospital

This study aimed to establish whether patients had sufficient knowledge and information concerning their medications on discharge from hospital. The purpose was also to identify who educated and provided patients with information and in what form it came. The study was carried out in five medical wards of a large teaching hospital, where patients were interviewed on the morning of discharge. By using a medication checklist the findings of this study appeared to indicate that the patients interviewed had relatively little knowledge or information regarding their discharge medications. However, overall their knowledge and information concerning their discharge medications had improved in relation to that of their admission medications. Despite this finding, there remains a definite need for structured medication teaching programmes with appropriate assessment of patients needs on admission to hospital.