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Milton Hospital Encourages Public to Keep
Accurate Medication Lists
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Here to download a Medication Card!
Milton, Mass. - Milton Hospital has begun a program to carefully
track patients' medication use before, during and after their hospital
stay.
The plan is a response to an initiative by the Joint Commission
on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO), which mandates
that all hospitals implement a process for obtaining and documenting
a complete list of patient's current medications upon admission.
The goal is to avoid drug-related errors such as conflicts or unintentional
omissions.
"The most important message we need to get across to the general
public is to keep a complete, current list of all your medications,
and always share that list with your healthcare provider," said
Mariann O'Brien, director of Milton Hospital's pharmacy. "Complete
lists would include the names of all prescription and over-the-counter
medications a person is taking, along with dosages and frequency
of use."
When the process is fully implemented, the hospital will reduce
drug errors by comparing medication lists upon admission to an updated
list of medications upon discharge, including any medications prescribed
during the patient's stay. Healthcare providers will also compare
lists if a patient is transferred from one hospital unit to another
during a stay.
"The key to this process is obtaining accurate information from
the patient," O'Brien said. Medication cards helpful in keeping
track of medications can be obtained by contacting your physician.
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