Medication Reconciliation - Part 2

Medication Safety and Patient Safety

**This event actually occurred**

A field case manager (FCM) meets with the client prior to the appointment. She reviews his medications and he tells her that he does have issues with GI bleeding. After the MD assess him, the MD recommends Naprosyn. The patient says "Ok". The FCM exclaimed "Wait! You can't take that. You have a history of GI bleeding."

Initially this may not sound like a major issue, but if the FCM had not reminded the client of this (and inadvertently informing the MD), the client could have suffered harm and depending upon the jurisdiction, the payor would have had to pay for treatment to treat the possible aggravation of a pre-existing condition.

In this situation, medication reconciliation provided patient safety by:

1?? Prevention of Medication Errors: By carefully reviewing a patient's medication history, we can identify discrepancies, duplications, or potential interactions. This helps us avoid harmful medication errors that might otherwise lead to serious consequences.

2?? Improved Communication: Medication reconciliation fosters better communication among healthcare teams, patients, and caregivers. It ensures that everyone is on the same page regarding the patient's medication plan, reducing the risk of misunderstandings or missed doses. (By the way - this FCM became the MD's favorite FCM after this :-) )

For those of us coordinating care for those with work related injuries, taking five minutes to review medications with each encounter shows a commitment to delivering the highest standard of care and promoting positive patient outcomes. ????

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