Medication Reconciliation Discussion

“Medication reconciliation is a critical piece of care coordination for all individuals who use prescription medications. 82% of all adults in the U.S. take at least one medication (prescription or nonprescription, vitamin/mineral, herbal/natural supplement); 29% take five or more” (Kantor, et al, 2015). It is easy to imagine with more than 75% of adults taking medication in the United States, that the risk of interactions among prescription and over the counter drugs, along with herbbal supplements, is greatly increased. Pharmacies are getting better about cross-referencing all drugs when new prescriptions come in, but that is only as good as the information provided to them. For example, if a patient uses more than one pharmacy to get their meds filled, and the systems do not “talk to each other” electronically, or the patient takes supplements and herbs and does not notify the physician or pharmacist, there is no way the database will have the information in it.  Medication Reconciliation Discussion Papers.