Accreditation

Does medication reconciliation apply to outpatient areas?

Accreditation Connection, February 20, 2006

With regard to application of the National Patient Safety Goal on medication reconciliation, common sense must prevail, say the accreditation consultants with The Greeley Company, a division of HCPro.

If no medications are given, no medication history or reconciliation need occur. If inert contrast media is to be part of a routine outpatient radiology exam, no reconciliation need occur.

However, if medications are given, such as during an urgent care/emergency department visit, current medications should be part of the intake process.

If patients are being discharged from urgent care or the emergency department rather than transferred to another part of the organization, give them a copy of their current medications list to take with them. Encourage them to bring it with them the next time they receive care.

The real patient safety payoff with medication reconciliation is with the inpatient beginning with the admission process or at whatever point admission medication orders are written and continuing through the patient's stay to discharge. Therefore, place most of your energy creating a well-designed inpatient medication reconciliation process.

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