Risk Management Snapshot

Medication reconciliation is a complex patient safety activity that involves several steps, each of which needs to be done correctly in order to have an accurate medication list.  The outcomes from an inaccurate medication reconciliation can range from near misses to devastating patient safety events.  Does your organization have good safety strategies in place?

Whether your facility is accredited by them or not, The Joint Commission is a leading resource for healthcare organizations in identifying opportunities and strategies to mitigate patient safety risks, such as medication reconciliation.  In their latest newsletter, The Joint Commission used information from real sentinel event reports to publish a case example highlighting the risks associated with the medication reconciliation process- Case Example #8- Going above and beyond to reconcile the medication list.  What makes this case example so helpful is the way The Joint Commission highlights both the risks involved and some safety strategies to get it right.

For our ambulatory settings, Medical Mutual has a Practice Tip to help you as well- Medication Safety in the Office Practice.