South Shore Hospital Emergency Department Medication Reconciliation Strategy

This document is a case study detailing South Shore Hospital's approach to enhancing medication reconciliation for high-risk patients in the Emergency Department (ED). The hospital implemented a three-step process aimed at reducing adverse drug events (ADEs) and improving patient safety. The first step involved formally assigning the responsibility of gathering medication histories to the pharmacy department, which was previously managed by nursing staff. The second step introduced technological support through the Epic electronic health record (EHR) system, incorporating the DrFirst medication history solution to streamline the process. The final step established a complexity scoring system to prioritize high-risk patients based on various factors, including age and active medical problems. Initial results indicate significant improvements in the accuracy of medication histories, with actionable data found for 91% of patients queried. The case study underscores the importance of structured workflows and the role of pharmacy technicians in enhancing patient care within the ED.