Allergies

Review of Medications

A Review of Medications (often called a medication review or medication reconciliation) is a systematic process of collecting and verifying a patient's complete medication information.

Information Gathered:

All current prescription medications (name, dose, frequency, route)
Over-the-counter medications
Herbal supplements and vitamins
Recently discontinued medications
Medication allergies and adverse reactions
How the patient is actually taking each medication (which may differ from prescriptions)

Data Sources: The review pulls from multiple sources to ensure accuracy:

Patient interviews (what they report taking)
Prescription bottles or medication lists the patient brings
Pharmacy records
Previous medical records
Electronic health records from other providers
Family member input when appropriate

Key Components:

Verification of each medication's indication (why it's prescribed)
Assessment of potential drug interactions
Identification of duplications or therapeutic overlaps
Evaluation of appropriateness for the patient's conditions
Documentation of adherence issues or barriers
Updates to the medical record

Common Settings: This process is particularly important during care transitions like hospital admissions, discharges, transfers between facilities, or new patient visits.

The goal is to create an accurate, complete medication list that reduces errors, prevents adverse drug events, and ensures the patient's treatment plan is safe and effective. Is there a specific aspect of medication review you'd like to know more about?