What is the purpose of medication reconciliation?

What is the purpose of medication reconciliation?

• A. To determine patient eligibility for insurance
• B. To compare a patient's medication orders with their current medications
• C. To evaluate the effectiveness of prescribed therapies
• D. To track the inventory of medications

Answer: (B)

The purpose of medication reconciliation is to compare a patient's medication orders with their current medications. This process is critical in ensuring that all medications a patient is taking—whether prescribed, over-the-counter, or herbal supplements—are accurately recorded and evaluated. By doing this, healthcare professionals can identify discrepancies, such as potential drug interactions, omissions, or duplications, which might lead to medication errors. Medication reconciliation plays a pivotal role in transitions of care, such as when a patient is discharged from the hospital or transferred between healthcare settings. The goal is to provide a safe therapeutic regimen that aligns with the patient's treatment plan and health history, ultimately improving patient outcomes and reducing the risk of adverse drug events. While determining patient eligibility for insurance, evaluating the effectiveness of prescribed therapies, or tracking the inventory of medications are important tasks in healthcare, they do not specifically address the fundamental objective of medication reconciliation, which focuses on aligning medication records to enhance patient safety.

The purpose of medication reconciliation is to compare a patient's medication orders with their current medications. This process is critical in ensuring that all medications a patient is taking—whether prescribed, over-the-counter, or herbal supplements—are accurately recorded and evaluated. By doing this, healthcare professionals can identify discrepancies, such as potential drug interactions, omissions, or duplications, which might lead to medication errors.

Medication reconciliation plays a pivotal role in transitions of care, such as when a patient is discharged from the hospital or transferred between healthcare settings. The goal is to provide a safe therapeutic regimen that aligns with the patient's treatment plan and health history, ultimately improving patient outcomes and reducing the risk of adverse drug events.

While determining patient eligibility for insurance, evaluating the effectiveness of prescribed therapies, or tracking the inventory of medications are important tasks in healthcare, they do not specifically address the fundamental objective of medication reconciliation, which focuses on aligning medication records to enhance patient safety.