Medication Histories Conducted by Nurses (RNs), Pharmacy Techs (CPhTs) & Pharmacists (RPhs)

Emergency Department Clinical Trial

Official title:

Electronic Patient Triage Development and Implementation Involving Nurse (RN), Pharmacy Technician (CPhT), and Pharmacist (RPh) Obtained Medication Histories in the Emergency Department (ED)and Impact on Medication Reconciliation

Clinical Trial Details — Status: Terminated

Administrative data

• NCT number: NCT01065675
• Other study ID #: 09-068
• Status: Terminated
• Phase: N/A
• First received: February 3, 2010
• Last updated: December 26, 2012
• Start date: February 2010
• Est. completion date: May 2011

Study information

• Verified date: December 2012
• Source: Wesley Medical Center
• Contact: n/a
• Is FDA regulated: No
• Health authority: United States: Institutional Review Board
• Study type: Interventional

Clinical Trial Summary

Up to 50% of medication errors and 20% of adverse drug reactions (ADRs) in the hospital setting are estimated to be related to communication issues regarding patient medications at various transition points of care from admission to discharge. The Joint Commission (TJC) requires accurate and complete medication reconciliation occur at each transition point throughout hospitalization. Evidence from NQF demonstrates pharmacists (RPh) are the most effective medication management team leaders in the implementation of medication management practices and design of medication error reduction strategies; medication reconciliation is one of the five safety objectives pharmacists are recommended to lead. In addition, the Massachusetts Coalition for the Prevention of Medical Errors states strong evidence supports the use of pharmacy technicians (CPhT) in conjunction with pharmacists in completing accurate medication histories.

WMC nurses (RN) currently are involved in the medication reconciliation process. In 2009, a Medication Use Evaluation (MUE) of Medication Reconciliation Accuracy found a 67% medication error rate on admission determined by comparing the nurse-obtained medication history to the pharmacist-obtained medication history. The number of home medications identified by the pharmacist compared to the nurse was 411 versus 312 (p<0.0001). The total percentage of medication errors prevented by the pharmacist was 66.2. Using the VA Healthcare Failure Mode Effects Analysis - HFMEA™ Hazard Scoring Matrix, 3 independent pharmacist reviewers found that 18% of patients interviewed had a score greater than 7, and 3 patients had a score of 12 (major/probable), if the discrepancies would not have been identified and corrected by the pharmacist conducting the admission medication reconciliation audit. The same patients' discharge medication reconciliation and discharge medication lists were retrospectively reviewed for the MUE, and the total percentage of patients with medication errors on discharge was 43%.

Recruitment information / eligibility

• Status: Terminated
• Enrollment: 153
• Est. completion date: May 2011
• Est. primary completion date: April 2010
• Accepts healthy volunteers: No
• Gender: Both
• Age group: N/A and older

Eligibility

Inclusion Criteria:

• Patients admitted as inpatients from the Emergency Department

Exclusion Criteria:

• Prisoners (because the IRB does not have a prisoner representative)

• Patients not admitted as inpatients through the Emergency Department

• Patients admitted more than once during the study period

Study Design

Intervention Model: Single Group Assignment, Masking: Single Blind (Caregiver), Primary Purpose: Health Services Research

Related Conditions & MeSH terms

• Emergencies
• Emergency Department
• Medication Reconciliation

Intervention

Other:
• Medication reconciliation completed by a RN, CPhT, or RPh
To determine which patients benefit the most from medication histories obtained by the RN, CPhT, or RPh. Patients will be admitted as inpatients through the ED with medication histories finalized electronically by the RN at the admitting unit.

Locations

Country	Name	City	State
United States	Wesley Medical Center	Wichita	Kansas

Sponsors (2)

Lead Sponsor	Collaborator
Wesley Medical Center	Cardinal Health Foundation

Country where clinical trial is conducted

United States, 

Outcome

Type	Measure	Description	Time frame	Safety issue
Primary	To determine which patients benefit most from medication histories obtained by the RN, CPhT, or RPh based on accuracy (% complete disease states, allergy documentation and description, vaccination documentation, medication documentation)		5 months	No