Study Shows Software Can Help Clinicians Automate Medication Reconciliation

Software can automate medication reconciliation by integrating, interpreting, and presenting information from multiple sources, according to an AHRQ-supported study. Medication reconciliation, the process of reviewing and updating patient medication lists, can be time-consuming. Health care providers must often review multiple sources of information to ensure that medication lists include all of a patient’s current medications. Computers can aid clinicians in this task by integrating information gathered from pharmacies, patients, and electronic health records. Collecting and presenting information from multiple sources in a graphic format helps clinicians identify which medications a patient may no longer be taking and expedites medication reconciliation. The study, “Design of a Medication Reconciliation Application: Facilitating Clinician-Focused Decision Making with Data from Multiple Sources,” appeared online in the first quarter 2013 issue of Applied Clinical Informatics. Select to access this abstract.