“I have nine specialists. They need to swap notes!” Australian patients’ perspectives of medication-related problems following discharge from hospital

Abstract

Background: Research has shown that patients are most susceptible to medication-related problems (MRPs) when transitioning from hospital to home. Currently, the literature in this area focuses on interventions, which are mainly orientated around the perspective of the health-care professional and do not take into account patient perspectives and experiences. Objective: To capture the experiences and perceptions of Australian patients regarding MRPs following discharge from hospital. Design: A cross-sectional study was conducted using a questionnaire collecting quantitative and qualitative data. Thematic analysis was conducted of the qualitative data. Setting and participants: Survey participants were recruited through The Digital Edge, an online market research company. Five hundred and six participants completed the survey. Results: A total of 174 participants self-reported MRPs. Two concepts and seven subthemes emerged from the analysis. The first concept was types of MRPs and patient experiences. Three themes were identified: unwanted effects from medicines, confusion about medicines and unrecognized medicines. The second concept was patient engagement in medication management, of which four themes emerged: informing patients, patient engagement, communication amongst health-care professionals and conflicting advice. Discussion and conclusion: This study provides an important insight into patients’ experiences and perceptions of MRPs following discharge from hospital. Future direction for practice and research should look into implementing patient-centred care at the time of hospital discharge to ensure the provision of clear and consistent information, and developing ways to support and empower patients to ensure a smooth transition post-discharge from hospital.