| This quasi experimental study with one group design was aimed to identify the effect of medication reconciliation towards medication error in each treatment process starting from patient admission, transfer and discharge. The results were represented in terms of the ratio between any difference in numbers of medication unintentionally prescribed and the total numbers of patients included in the study (unintentional discrepancy). Potential harm, numbers and type of medication errors including severity level were studied. Furthermore, save cost of medication and work hour in conducting medication reconciliation were also determined. The samples were 237 patients admitted to the inpatient setting at Yasothorn Hospital. The data were collected by pharmacist between 2 October 2008 and 14 February 2009.
The results revealed that an unintentional discrepancy ratio was 0.29 while the potential harm or numbers of patients with medication errors were 35 cases (14.80%). In addition, the numbers of medication error was 2.03%. Of these, the highest numbers of medication errors found were due to omission error following by wrong dose (1.88% and 0.12%, respectively). All of medication errors founded in this study, however; caused no harm to patients. Nevertheless, the harmful errors were estimated to be 80 % if these medication errors were not interrupted. In terms of using the original medication brought by patients, costs were approximately saved about 25,336.66 baths. This study also showed that work time spent in medication reconciliation process from patient admission, patient transfer to patient discharge was 86.40 minutes with an average of 28 minutes for each process.
In conclusion, the results from this study indicated that medication reconciliation can help determine medication errors during prescribing and help protect any harmful medication error to patients. Additionally, save cost from using medication can be done. Therefore, implementing the appropriate medication reconciliation process can strengthen the pharmacist’s role together with other health professionals in working to promote the optimal use of drug in patients |