Reducing Hospital Readmissions with Medication Reconciliation
Academic Level at Time of Presentation
Senior
Major
Nursing
Minor
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List all Project Mentors & Advisor(s)
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Presentation Format
Poster Presentation
Abstract/Description
Purpose: Examine the ways in which medication reconciliation can reduce the hospital readmission rates.
Summary: Hospital readmissions within 30 days of discharge are an expensive cost burden to an institution. The Network for Excellence in Health Innovation states that 836,000 cases of hospital readmissions yearly are preventable, and costs the health care system approximately $25 billion annually. A local hospital found that they incurred 299 readmissions from June 2015-May 2016, costing the hospital 1.2 million dollars. The institution currently has no policy or procedures regarding medication reconciliation, which, according to The Joint Commission, is a national patient safety goal and means to reduce patient readmissions. The institution discovered that lack of patient education was the cause of majority of the hospital readmissions. A lack of a centralized location for the different disciplines to document their discharge teachings, and a lack of collaboration between disciplines were the reasons for patients not receiving proper discharge teaching.
Conclusion: Medication reconciliation is an evidenced-based means to reducing hospital readmission rates. A centralized location for patient teaching between the different disciplines, a centralized location for medication reconciliation, and having a pharmacist-led medication reconciliation were all successful measures in reducing hospital readmissions.
Affiliations
Nursing
Reducing Hospital Readmissions with Medication Reconciliation
Purpose: Examine the ways in which medication reconciliation can reduce the hospital readmission rates.
Summary: Hospital readmissions within 30 days of discharge are an expensive cost burden to an institution. The Network for Excellence in Health Innovation states that 836,000 cases of hospital readmissions yearly are preventable, and costs the health care system approximately $25 billion annually. A local hospital found that they incurred 299 readmissions from June 2015-May 2016, costing the hospital 1.2 million dollars. The institution currently has no policy or procedures regarding medication reconciliation, which, according to The Joint Commission, is a national patient safety goal and means to reduce patient readmissions. The institution discovered that lack of patient education was the cause of majority of the hospital readmissions. A lack of a centralized location for the different disciplines to document their discharge teachings, and a lack of collaboration between disciplines were the reasons for patients not receiving proper discharge teaching.
Conclusion: Medication reconciliation is an evidenced-based means to reducing hospital readmission rates. A centralized location for patient teaching between the different disciplines, a centralized location for medication reconciliation, and having a pharmacist-led medication reconciliation were all successful measures in reducing hospital readmissions.