Seriousness of medication reconciliation errors in patients of advanced age in the emergency department
Taladriz-Sender I, Muñoz-García M, Montero-Errasquin B, Montero-Llorente B, Espadas-Hervás N, Delgado-Silveira E
Affiliation of the authors
Servicio de Farmacia, Hospital Universitario Ramón y Cajal, Madrid, Spain. Servicio de Geriatría, Hospital Universitario Ramón y Cajal, Madrid, Spain..
Taladriz-Sender I, Muñoz-García M, Montero-Errasquin B, Montero-Llorente B, Espadas-Hervás N, Delgado-Silveira E. Seriousness of medication reconciliation errors in patients of advanced age in the emergency department. Emergencias. 2020;32:188-90
Summary
Objectives.
To analyze the seriousness of medication reconciliation errors (MREs) in the treatment of older patients admitted to an emergency department’s acute geriatric unit. To identify and describe discrepancies, including the drug groups involved, and to explore risk factors.
Methods.
Prospective, observational 6-month study. A pharmacist recorded medications in each patient’s history and compared the patient’s usual treatment to the regimen prescribed in the emergency department; discrepancies were flagged for evaluation as possible MREs. A geriatric medicine specialist evaluated MRE seriousness.
Results.
Three hundred twenty-eight discrepancies were detected (93.8% of the total of 351 patients); 151 patients (43.02%) had at least 1 MRE. Three hundred MREs were identified, 248 (82.7%) reached the patient, and 27 (9%) caused reversible injury. No errors led to prolonged injury or death.
Conclusions.
MREs were common but not serious, and the injuries caused were reversible.
