Using a structured reconciliation medication form improves medication transition from hospital to community care and primary care physicians’ adherence with medication adaptations and recommendations

Abstract

Background: Hospital admission and discharge are weakness points in the transition of care. Objective: To lower the risk of errors and improve medication information transfer to primary care physician (PCP), we conducted an experimental study using a structured medication reconciliation form (SMRF) in an Acute Care for Elders unit. Results: 1242 drugs of 173 patients were reconciliated at admission, optimized during the stay, and transmitted via the SMRF to the 143 corresponding PCPs. While the optimization led to 779 adaptations from admission to discharge, of which 39.0% were omissions, exposure to polypharmacy was reduced from 83.2 to 74.6% (P < 0.05). One-month post-discharge, with an answer rate of 62.2% among PCPs, the adherence to recommendations was high (85.0%) and the exposure to polypharmacy was further decreased (67.7%; P < 0.05). Conclusion: These results provide elements to consider SMRF as an example of good practice for which the impact should be analyzed at larger scale.