Medication reconciliation needed to curb high discrepancy rates in cancer patients

Medication discrepancies, such as unintentional omissions, frequently occur among hospitalized cancer patients, results of a recent study have shown. In addition, undocumented intentional discrepancies can likewise harm this critically ill population.

A cross-sectional observational study was conducted at Jordan University Hospital in Amman, Jordan, with the aim of identifying and determining the number and types of medication discrepancies among patients. A convenience sample of cancer patients was then recruited during a 6-month period and reviewed their medical records to collect demographic, clinical, and medication information.

The investigators collected the patients’ Best Possible Medication History (BPMH) using different methods and did a comparison between BPMH and current medications where discrepancies were recognized.

Seventy-eight medical records were included in the review, yielding a total of 166 medication discrepancies, of which 110 (66.3 percent) were unintentional.

Fifty-three participants (67.9 percent) had at least one unintentional discrepancy, with omissions being the most common (n=71, 65.1 percent), followed by additions (n=16, 14.7 percent). Most of these discrepancies were low to moderate in severity. In addition, 56 (33.7 percent) intentional undocumented discrepancies (ie, documentation errors) were found.

In light of these findings, the researchers stressed the need for medication reconciliation in patients with cancer.

“Cancer patients are critically ill, and therefore more effort should be paid towards implementing medication reconciliation services in their treatment plan,” they said.