Accurate dosing and administration of liquid medications to children can be difficult for parents or caregivers. In this study, family caregivers and clinicians described their experiences at hospital discharge relating to both general and liquid-specific medication counseling. Clinicians and caregivers both stated that teach-back protocols were helpful but inconsistently used. Caregivers were not always shown how to draw up liquid into the syringes leading to them feeling uncertain about giving the correct dose. Health literacy and speaking languages other than English were also described as challenges.

Implementing successful interventions to support effective medication reconciliation is an ongoing challenge. The MARQUIS2 study examined whether system- and patient-level interventions plus physician mentors can improve medication reconciliation and reduce medication discrepancies. This analysis based on patient exposure in the MARQUIS2 study found that patient receipt of a best possible medication history (BPMH) in the emergency department and medication reconciliation at admission and discharge were associated with the largest reductions in medication discrepancy rates.

Medication reconciliations, including conducting a best possible medication history (BPMH), may occur multiple times during a hospital stay, especially at admission and discharge. By conducting BPMH analysis of 372 hospitalized older adults taking at least 5 medications at admission, researchers found that nearly 90% had at least one discrepancy. Lower age, total prehospital medication count, and admission from a non-home setting were statistically associated with more discrepancies.

… reconciliation is the process of reviewing a patient’s medication list for discrepancies and safety. Patients in …

This mixed-methods study assessed the barriers and facilitators to hospitals’ implementation of the MARQUIS toolkit, which supports hospitals in developing medication reconciliation programs. Leadership who responded to the survey/interview expressed limited institutional budgetary and hiring support, but hospitals were able to implement and sustain the toolkit by shifting staff responsibilities, adding pharmacy staff, and using a range of implementation strategies (e.g., educational tools for staff, EHR templates).

This article reports mixed results of a two-year mentor-implemented feasibility study designed to improve medication reconciliation practices in rural Veterans Affairs hospitals. The authors highlight facilitators and barriers to implementing their evidence-based intervention in smaller hospitals.