Page 63 - Hospitalists - Risks When You're the Doctor in the House (Part One)

SVMIC Hospitalists - Risks When You’re the Doctor in the House

their patients had been hospitalized at all, and in another study,

as few as 12 percent of PCPs actually received their patients’
discharge summaries, which is associated with higher rates of

readmission.
25

Admission to and discharge from the hospital are the most
probable times for communication breakdowns. Hospitals

and physicians should have a system in place to make sure
that need of follow-up care is completed with each handoff.

Standardized communication tools, protocols, and checklists
can significantly reduce a physician’s liability exposure.

Medication Reconciliation

Medication reconciliation, or medication review, is the process
of verifying patient medication lists at a point-of-care transition,

such as hospital discharge, in order to identify medications
which may have been added, discontinued, or changed

relative to preadmission medication lists. Performing accurate
medication reconciliation is a critical element of a successful

discharge transition. It also provides an opportunity for clinicians
to ensure that patients fully understand the medications they

are taking, how to take them, and why they are taking them.
Although there is no data readily available to support whether

or not a medication review reduces post-discharge emergency
department visits and/or readmissions, the prudent practice for

a discharging physician mandates medication reconciliation
and a review of the medication with the patient and/or caregiver

before the patient leaves the hospital.

The first step in having an accurate medication list at hospital
discharge depends on the following:

25 Medical Economics, 5 Reasons Why Communication Breaks Down During Care Transitions,
Vol. 95, Issue 16, Aug. 18, 2018.

Page 63