This information is for reference purposes only. It was current when produced and may now be outdated. Archive material is no longer maintained, and some links may not work. Persons with disabilities having difficulty accessing this information should contact us at: https://info.ahrq.gov. Let us know the nature of the problem, the Web address of what you want, and your contact information.
Please go to www.ahrq.gov for current information.
Defining the Safety Problem
- 11% of all hospital admissions are due to medication complications
- Inadequate patient medication education is a common reason for non-adherent behaviors and is an independent risk factor for unplanned 30-day hospital readmission
- Haynes 2004, Marcantonio 1999
- U.S. and Canadian studies have documented inconsistencies in the medication education component of hospital discharge resulting in poor patient knowledge of their medications
- Alibhai 1999, King 1998, Cortis 1996
- Barriers to hospital-based medication education by pharmacists include lack of time, no organized or systematic program for education, and inadequate discharge notification
Previous Slide Contents Next Slide