The PSNet Collection: All Content

The AHRQ PSNet Collection comprises an extensive selection of resources relevant to the patient safety community. These resources come in a variety of formats, including literature, research, tools, and Web sites. Resources are identified using the National Library of Medicine’s Medline database, various news and content aggregators, and the expertise of the AHRQ PSNet editorial and technical teams.

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Displaying 1 - 20 of 453 Results

Prevented harm and cost avoidance with pharmacist intervention while utilizing a discharge medication reconciliation tool.

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Hoffman AM, Walls JL, Prusch A, et al. Am J Health Syst Pharm. 2023;Epub Oct 9.

Hospitals must balance costs associated with pharmacist medication reconciliation (e.g., salary) with prevented harm and cost avoidance (e.g., unreimbursed expenses resulting from medication error). This study found an estimate cost avoidance of $47,000 - $231,000 during one month in one hospital. The highest-risk, highest-cost classes were insulin, antithrombotics, and opioids. In resource-limited environments, focusing on the highest-cost classes could avoid significant cost and patient harm.

Intervention of pharmacist included in multidisciplinary team to reduce adverse drug event: a qualitative systematic review.

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Zaij S, Pereira Maia K, Leguelinel-Blache G, et al. BMC Health Serv Res. 2023;23:927.

An increasing strategy to reduce adverse drug events (ADE) is pharmacist medication review, typically involving other members of the care team. This qualitative review summarizes randomized studies of interventions with multidisciplinary care teams to reduce ADE. Most interventions were time-intensive (1- to 2-hours), including four steps (data collection, appraisal report, multidisciplinary medication review, follow up). Most teams consisted of a pharmacist, physician, and nurse, although some included other providers such as psychologists or social workers.

A multi-method exploratory evaluation of a service designed to improve medication safety for patients with monitored dosage systems following hospital discharge.

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Alqenae FA, Steinke DT, Belither H, et al. Drug Saf. 2023;46:1021-1037.

Miscommunication between hospitals and community pharmacists at patient discharge can result in incorrect or incomplete medication distribution to patients. This study describes utilization and impact of the Transfers of Care Around Medicines (TCAM) service post-hospital discharge at community pharmacies. An increasing percentage of TCAM referrals were completed post-intervention, but 45% were not completed at all or took longer than one month. The impact of the TCAM service on adverse drug events (ADE) and unintentional medication discrepancies (UMD) was uncertain. Future research may explore reasons for low/late completions or focus on high-risk medications, as those were associated with the most ADE and UMD.

Primary care teams' reported actions to improve medication safety: a qualitative study with insights in high reliability organising.

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Young RA, Gurses AP, Fulda KG, et al. BMJ Open Qual. 2023;12:e002350.

Improving medication safety in ambulatory care settings is a patient safety priority. This qualitative study with primary care teams across four sites in the southwestern United States explored approaches to improving medication safety. Respondents emphasized the importance of customization and individualization (e.g., simplifying medication regimens for certain patients) and described how the principles of high reliability can help teams anticipate and respond to medication safety risks.

Pharmacy-led medication reconciliation is best practice.

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Tanski MC. Pharmacy Times Health Systems edition. September 2023;12(5):34-35.

Medication reconciliation should be completed at admission, discharge, and during transitions of care. This article describes the impacts of pharmacist involvement, including lower hospital readmissions and post-discharge adverse events.

A virtual breakthrough series collaborative to support deprescribing interventions across Veterans Affairs healthcare settings.

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Phillips KK, Mecca MC, Baim‐Lance AM, et al. J Am Geriatr Soc. 2023;71:2935-2945.

Polypharmacy is a common patient safety concern among veterans. In this study, 21 Veterans Health Administration (VA) sites developed their own deprescribing protocols and participated in a virtual deprescribing collaborative. Sites employed decision support tools, such as the VA VIONE tool, and other strategies, such as individualized medication review, to encourage deprescribing and reduce polypharmacy among its patients.

Insulin Administration: Pen vs Vial – Similar, but Not Interchangeable

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WebM&M Case September 27, 2023

A 14-year-old girl was admitted to the hospital with a new diagnosis of type 1 diabetes mellitus without ketoacidosis. Before discharge, medications intended for home use were delivered to the patient’s bedside, but the resident physician noticed a discrepancy. An insulin pen and pen needles had been ordered, but an insulin vial and extra insulin syringes were delivered. Neither the patient nor the parents had received education on how to draw up and administer insulin using a vial and syringe.

Impact of pharmacist-led admission medication reconciliation on patient outcomes in a large health system.

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Kramer JS, Hayley Burgess L, Warren C, et al. J Patient Saf Risk Manag. 2023;Epub Aug 27.

Obtaining a best possible medication history (BPM) is an important component of successful medication reconciliation programs. This study compared the impact of a pharmacy-led medication reconciliation program including BPMH on adverse drug events (ADEs) and complications among high-risk, complex patients across 16 hospitals. In the six months following implementation, 80,000 reconciliations were completed and nearly 40% required additional medication follow-up and/or clarification. Researchers identified a statistically significant decrease in both ADEs and complications after implementation.

Handling polypharmacy--a qualitative study using focus group interviews with older patients, their relatives, and healthcare professionals.

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Mikkelsen TH, Søndergaard J, Kjaer NK, et al. BMC Geriatr. 2023;23:477.

Older adults taking 5 or more medications daily (i.e., polypharmacy) face numerous challenges to taking them safely. In this study, patients, caregivers, and clinicians describe methods to taking medications safely, difficulties they face, and ways prescribers and pharmacists can assist patients. Medication reviews, a common strategy to ensure safe polypharmacy, were requested by patients to clear up confusion around generics, timing, limitations, and side effects.

Exploring the impact of safety culture on incident reporting: lessons learned from machine learning analysis of NHS England staff survey and incident data.

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Kaya GK, Ustebay S, Nixon J, et al. Safety Sci. 2023;166:106260.

Voluntary incident reporting rates may be an indicator of organizational safety culture. Using different machine learning algorithms, this study found that several components of safety culture – compassionate culture, violence and harassment, and work pressure – have a significant impact on predicting incident reporting behavior.

A quality improvement initiative to improve pediatric discharge medication safety and efficiency.

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Ring LM, Cinotti J, Hom LA, et al. Pediatr Qual Saf. 2023;8:e671.

Previous research has identified gaps in medication reconciliation practices among hospitalized children. This quality improvement found that increased utilization of a patient-friendly discharge medication platform integrated into the electronic health record (EHR) system was associated with improved inpatient discharge medication reconciliation in pediatric acute care patients.

Incidence and severity of medication reconciliation discrepancies in trauma patients.

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Dunbar EG, Massey AC, Lee YL, et al. Am Surg. 2023;89:3272-3274.

Medication reconciliation is an important care process anytime a patient transitions from one care setting to another, including emergency department to hospital admission. This study sought to determine the incidence of completed medication reconciliation for admitted trauma patients and the number of identified discrepancies. Of the 89 patients included in the study, more than a quarter did not receive an admission medication reconciliation (AMR), and of those with an AMR, 48% had at least one unintended discrepancy, indicating the importance of completing medication reconciliation for all admitted trauma patients.

Implementation of medication reconciliation in outpatient cancer care.

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Powis M, Dara C, Macedo A, et al. BMJ Open Quality. 2023;12:e002211.

Medication reconciliation can help providers identify potential safety issues during medication administration. Based on interviews with stakeholders, this study examined medication reconciliation practices across Canadian cancer centers. Although a high proportion of the centers had a process for collecting best possible medication history (BPMH, 81%), implementation of a complete medication reconciliation process was uncommon. Stakeholders identified several barriers to implementation, including lack of resources and a lack of electronic health record interoperability across institutions, systems, and community pharmacies.

Medication reconciliation for patients after their discharge from intensive care unit to the hospital ward.

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Pradeda AM, Pérez MSA, Oliveira CF, et al. Farm Hosp. 2023;47:121-126.

Medication reconciliation is used when a patient moves from one level or location of care to another, to ensure they are receiving the appropriate medications. This retrospective study reviewed completed medication reconciliations of adult patients transferring from the intensive care unit to the ward. Nearly one in five had an error requiring physician changes to the order. Of those errors, 19% were high-alert medications, most notably low-molecular-weight heparin.

Curated Libraries

Implementation of Patient Safety Projects Curated Library

May 4, 2023

The implementation of effective patient safety initiatives is challenging due to the complexity of the health care environment. This curated library shares resources summarizing overarching ideas and strategies that can aid in successful program execution, establishment, and sustainability.

Uptake of pharmacist recommendations by patients after discharge: implementation study of a patient-centered medicines review service.

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Basger BJ, Moles RJ, Chen TF. BMC Geriatr. 2023;23:183.

Potentially inappropriate medications (PIM) and polypharmacy, defined as taking 5 or more medications, can increase the risk of hospitalization and other adverse events for older adults. This article describes the implementation and success of a patient-centered medication review conducted at the time of hospital discharge. Nearly all patients followed up with their general practitioner on the pharmacist’s recommendations and approximately three-quarters were implemented. Including the patient and/or caregiver was a key component of the intervention.

Failure to Ensure Patient Safety Leads to Patient Falls in Nursing Homes.

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WebM&M Case April 26, 2023

This Spotlight Case highlights two cases of falls in older patients in nursing homes. The commentary discusses how risk factors for falls should be considered in care planning and approaches to fall prevention in long-term care settings.

What works in medication reconciliation: an on-treatment and site analysis of the MARQUIS2 study.

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Schnipper JL, Reyes Nieva H, Yoon CS, et al. BMJ Qual Saf. 2023;32:457-469.

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.

Prevention of perioperative medication errors.

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Nanji K. UpToDate. March 7, 2023.

Perioperative adverse drug events are common and understudied. This review examines factors that contribute to adverse drug events in the surgical setting and discusses prevention strategies that focus on medication reconciliation, technology, standardization, and institutional change.

Duplicate Therapies in Retail Pharmacy

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WebM&M Case March 15, 2023

The cases described in this WebM&M reflect fragmented care with lapses in coordination and communication as well as failure to appropriately address medication discrepancies. These two cases involve duplicate therapy errors, which have the potential to cause serious adverse drug events.

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