The goal of the project was to reduce adverse drug events at transitions of care through medication reconciliation, which is the process of comparing a patient’s medication orders to all the medications the patient has been taking. This helps avoid medication errors such as duplication, omission and dosing errors. Patients are most at risk for these errors during transitions of care, such as when a patient may see a primary care physician and then be sent to a hospital to receive care as an inpatient.

St. Francis implemented the use of the “source of truth” medication list, which is one list shared across all contingencies of care. This eliminated the need for staff at each care point to have to obtain medication lists from patients as they could obtain them from the patients’ prior care providers. This reduced the chance of errors. Education of staff and assignment of specific responsibilities regarding patient medication also contributed to achieving medication reconciliation.

“High-quality patient care through all continuums of the care process is a priority of hospitals statewide,” said Georgia Hospital Association President Earl V. Rogers. “We applaud St. Francis Hospital for its work in medication reconciliation in transitions of care and for ensuring complete patient safety.”