Almost all older adults had discrepancies on their medication lists when referred for electronically based care, a study from Ontario shows. “When providing [asynchronous virtual care (AVC)], clinicians should still devote the required time and effort to obtain the BPMH to prevent, identify or manage discrepancies and [adverse drug events (ADEs)] in older adult patients,” the authors conclude.
Charts of older adults taking 3 or more medications and receiving a consult with GeriMedRisk, an interdisciplinary geriatric clinical pharmacology and psychiatry service in Ontario, were reviewed retrospectively. The BPMH identified 256 medication discrepancies in 40 of 42 study participants with a mean of 6.1 errors per patient. “Among patients with medication discrepancies, 30 (75.0%) met our definition of being clinically significant, and 32 (80.0%), 25 (62.5%), and 20 (50.0%) experienced errors of omission, commission, and incorrect dose, respectively,” the authors write.
The researchers conclude, “Our findings add to research describing high rates (10%–87%) of medication discrepancies during hospital transitions, many of which (11%–59%) were clinically relevant. Medication discrepancies have been observed in 74% to over 90% of older adults in primary care settings and up to 90% of older adults admitted to hospital.”