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Reconciliation programs can reduce medication errors

Quality Improvement Monitor, January 13, 2005

Hospitals need to take the lead in compiling an accurate medication list for patients, according to an article in Wednesday's Wall Street Journal.

Many patients assume hospitals know every detail in their medical record, Roger Resar, a safety expert at the Mayo Health System, told the Journal. Hospitals need to have a protocol to reconcile medications upon admission, during transfer, and at discharge, Resar said.

Resar recently spearheaded a medication reconciliation project at some Mayo hospitals in Wisconsin. The program cut medication errors by 70% and reduced adverse drug events by 15%.

Medication reconciliation is one of six goals the Institute for Healthcare Improvement outlined in its 100,000 Lives campaign, which aims to save that number of patients by June 14, 2006. More than 400 hospitals have joined since December 2004.

For more information on the 100,000 Lives campaign, visit www.ihi.org.

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