Vancouver Acute, Community and Residential are currently implementing or have implemented an Admission Medication Reconciliation (MedRec) process for applicable services/programs.MedRec defined
Medication reconciliation is a formal, systematic process in which healthcare professionals partner with patients to ensure accurate and complete transfer of medication information at transitions of care.
Medication reconciliation is recognized by the WHO, Institute for Safe Medication Practices, and Safer Healthcare Now! as an essential process for ensuring safe, accurate prescribing in any setting.
Rate of medication errors in a 6-month period decreased by 70% after implementation of a medication reconciliation process at all phases of hospitalization. (Rozich J.D. & Resar R. JCOM. 2001; 8: 27-34)
The goal of MedRec is to prevent unintended changes to medications and improve communication regarding medications at transitions of care.
Completing our new Admission MedRec forms will help us prevent discrepancies and protect patient safety.
A MedRec story
Source: SafeMedicationUse.ca
A patient was in need of a procedure to treat a brain aneurysm and supposed to take PLAVIX with Aspirin for several days before the procedure. The patient was accidently dispensed PRADAX from the community pharmacy.
Both Pradax and Plavix are used to prevent unwanted blood clots, but they work in different ways and are used in different circumstances. Plavix keeps platelets (blood cells that are involved in the formation of clots) from sticking together. Pradax is an anticoagulant: it blocks one of the substances that cause blood to clot. Plavix is sometimes prescribed for patients who can’t take anticoagulants, so a mix-up between these drugs could be serious.
Fortunately, the patient remembered how important it is to bring all current medications with you any time you go to a hospital for treatment. A pharmacist reviewed the medications when the patient was admitted to the hospital, noticed the problem, and called the community pharmacy. The community pharmacist confirmed that the order for Plavix had been misinterpreted and that Pradax had been dispensed in error. The neurosurgeon was notified, and the procedure was postponed.
Vancouver Acute status
Admission MedRec education started in Vancouver Acute in March 2011. Ideally, a 75% completed rate for Admission MedRec must be achieved before services move to Transfer/Discharge MedRec.
Please see the latest audit results indicating full completion of the MedRec forms (as of August 1, 2012):
- VGH Surgery 72%
- VGH Medicine 71%
- UBC Surgery 80%
Medication Reconciliation is an effective process to reduce medication errors and patient harm associated with those errors.
Unintentional discrepancies* prior to implementation of MedRec for surgery patients at VGH was an average of 2.40 per patient. After the MedRec implementation, discrepancies were an average of 0.60 per patient. A reduction of 75%!
* Unintentional discrepancies (per patient) are discovered through a Pharmacist/patient interview and means that a medication that was not ordered in the hospital, which the patient was receiving at home.
MedRec website http://vchconnect.vch.ca/programs_services/patient_safety/medication_reconciliation/page_105281.htm
Thank you to all staff involved in MedRec for your commitment and dedication to patient safety and quality care.