Regional Data Exchange to Improve Medication Safety

Study Summary

Medication reconciliation, a process by which a provider obtains and documents a thorough medication history with specific attention to comparing current and previous medication use, can prevent medication-related errors and harm. The aims of this study are: 1) To adapt medication reconciliation to include information from a computerized regional health information exchange (RHIO) in the Bronx, 2) To conduct a trial of the adapted medication reconciliation process and examine effects on medication errors, harm, and hospital costs, and 3) To identify factors that are barriers to adoption of the RHIO tool by James J. Peters (Bronx) VA providers. Findings from this project will provide an understanding of the effect of the RHIO tool on reducing harmful VA and non-VA medication use. It will also provide information on the feasibility of incorporating RHIO tool use into every day work flow for pharmacists and physicians.

Primary Outcome

Rating of potential for harm to patient from hospital medication discrepancies by record review. Minimum=0 Maximum=no maximum. Higher values represent increased detection of medication discrepancies. Although medication discrepancies are undesirable, increasing their detection might facilitate prevention of adverse drug events.

Interventions

• OTHER HIE-Enhanced Medication Reconciliation
• OTHER Optimal Medication Reconciliation without HIE