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aged 115 patients per day. A phar- macy resident conducted the rst part of the study by performing a retrospective chart review of ED medication histories taken from July through October 2015. The second part involved a real-time observa- tional study in March 2016, in which the ED pharmacist accompanied a pharmacy technician in collection of 50 medication histories. The third component consisted of a work ow diagram established through inter- views with nurses, the pharmacy technician and pharmacist, and the resident and attending physicians.
Fifty medication histories were evaluated, totaling 474 medications in the nurses’ group and 521 in the pharmacy group. Overall results indi-
cated an accuracy rate of 14 percent for ED nurses compared to a 94.4 percent accuracy rate for the phar- macy technician. Results from the retrospective review indicated 100 percent medication discrepancies for ED nurses and 36 percent discrepan- cies for the pharmacy technician (the review occurred as the pharmacy technician received approximately 10 days of training).
Researchers noted that to achieve greater accuracy in patient medica- tion histories, the pharmacy techni- cian performed time-consuming tasks of calling pharmacies, insurance com- panies and physician of ces — tasks that ED nurses simply did not have time to complete.
Financial analysis was not conduct-
ed in the study; however, researchers reported that given industry-standard compensation for pharmacy techni- cians is approximately 45 percent lower than the average salary of a staff nurse and 29 percent lower than a staff pharmacist, overall staf ng costs lowered and quality care increased.3
Studies Reveal Impact
Across All Transition Types Results of various studies indicate pharmacist participation in medica- tion reconciliation and management reduces adverse events, medication- related ED visits and hospital readmissions throughout the pa- tient’s continuum of care.
The American Society of Health-
Overall results indicated an accuracy rate of 14 percent for ED nurses compared to a 94.4 percent accuracy rate for the pharmacy technician.
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