Quality & Patient Safety

Study: Inpatients often unsure of which medications they are taking

Patient Safety Monitor Alert, December 23, 2009

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A study published in the Journal of Hospital Medicine found that hospitalized patients are often confused about their own medications, reports MedPage Today. Researchers questioned 50 patients about the medications they were taking while hospitalized, and 96% of patients were unable to name all of the medications they taking. On average, patients could not name 6.8 medications they were taking during their stays, and 44% of patients named a medication they were not taking, when asked.

The study was part of a larger effort to examine the patient's role in preventing medical errors. Although the study provides a small glimpse into how patients may be involved in their own medication safety, researchers found that simple things, such as showing patients lists of the medications they were taking as an inpatient, can help involve them in their own safety.

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