Taylor, Simone

Welch, S

Harding, A

Abbott, L

Riyat, B

Morrow, Melanie

Lawrence, D

Rodda, S

Heward, S

2014-10-01

Background: Clinical handover and obtaining best possible medication histories (BPMH) at transition points in care are key patient safety priorities. This study aimed to determine the accuracy of medication histories documented on general practitioner (GP) referral letters for patients referred to emergency departments. Methods: This was a multicentre prospective observational study in eight emergency departments. Patients taking >=1 regular medication, referred to the emergency department with a GP letter and seen by a pharmacist were included. GP medication regimens were compared with BPMH documented by the emergency department pharmacist. Results: Of the GP letters (total 414), 361 (87%) had one or more discrepancies in the patients' regular medications and 62% had one or more regular medication discrepancies of moderate-high significance. Omission of medication was more prevalent in handwritten letters (P

Senior Pharmacist, Emergency Medicine and Research, Pharmacy Department, Austin Health, Heidelberg, VIC, email: simone.taylor@austin.org.au

Senior Pharmacist, St. Vincent's Hospital, and Clinical Associate Lecturer, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Sydney, NSW

Senior Pharmacist, Emergency Medicine, Austin Health, Heidelberg, VIC

Emergency Department Pharmacist, Barwon Health, Geelong, VIC

Consultant Pharmacist (AACP) and Team Leader Pharmacist, Relief and Weekend Services, Prince Charles Hospital, Chermside, QLD

Specialist Clinical Pharmacist, National Critical Care and Trauma Response Centre, Darwin, NT

Pharmacist, Manly Hospital, Manly, NSW

Health Econ and Policy, Policy and Procedure Pharmacist, Monash Health, VIC

Senior Clinical Pharmacist, Oncology, Sir Charles Gairdiner Hospital, Perth, WA

Aust Fam Physician . 2014 Oct;43(10):728.

0300-8495

https://hdl.handle.net/10137/11964

43

Physicians (General practice) Medical history taking Pharmaceutical industry| |Standards Medical records| |Management Emergency medical services

Accuracy of general practitioner medication histories for patients presenting to the Emergency Department

Journal Article

Publication