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BWH’s new medication reconciliation application, which monitors and keeps track of patients’ medications throughout their care, goes live next week.
BWH is working to improve communication about medications at transition points, such as hospital admissions, transfers to other facilities and discharges. The goal of medication reconciliation is to reduce the likelihood of error by requiring clinicians to review previous medication orders alongside new orders when patients move from one setting to another, and to reconcile any differences in the medications. The Joint Commission for Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO) now requires hospitals to have a medication reconciliation process in place.
To make documentation more efficient and accessible for clinicians, the electronic version of the medication list, called the Pre-Admission Medication List (PAML), will be available in BICS Computer Order Entry beginning July 25. The admitting clinician should complete the list of the patient’s home medications before writing admission orders. Every attempt should be made to complete the list within 24 hours of admission.
A recurring message in computer order entry will remind clinicians responsible for creating the PAML if the PAML is not started within eight hours or completed within 24 hours of admission. The treating clinician should work with the patient and other members of the Nursing and Pharmacy teams to resolve any medication uncertainties.
PAML training sessions will be held in the Bornstein Amphitheater July 24 and 25, from 6 to 6:30 p.m., and July 26, from 6:30 to 7 p.m. Training will be held at Faulkner Hospital’s Parisi Conference Room July 27 from 12:30 to 1 p.m.
For more information, contact Erin Graydon-Baker, Tejal Gandhi, MD, or Jeffrey Schnipper, MD.
The Medication Reconciliation Team is offering a $25 Amazon gift card to the first 10 ordering clinicians who complete for second review 10 PAMLs.