Upon admission to the hospital, a patient’s home medication regimen can change significantly. The clinical team will adjust or change home medications based on the need to manage or prevent any acute medical conditions and create an optimal regiment to control chronic conditions. Another consideration is the hospital’s medication formulary. The hospital may not carry the same medication as the one a patient takes at home. And oftentimes, if the patient is transferred throughout their hospital stay, there are changes to their medications. Upon hospital discharge, a wrench is thrown into the medication list as the patient's prescription insurance benefit comes into play. The medications prescribed to the patient in the hospital may not be covered, leading to multiple medication changes. All these changes increase the risk for medication errors and adverse drug events, making it essential for you to help manage a patient's medication list. Goal 3 of The Joint Commission’s 2021 Home Care National Safety Goals states, “improve the safety of using medications,” (p. 1) which includes collecting and communicating accurate medication information for each of your patients to minimize medication errors that may occur as the patient transitions to home.

• Faculty: Heather Fitzhugh-Boehm
• ID: Pr-034660