Willamette Valley Medical Center's program to safeguard patients from medication incompatibility, errors, duplications or ommissions was recognized by the Oregon Patient Safety Commission and the Oregon Medical Association at their first annual Patient Safety Convocation held November 7 in Portland.

The program, called the Medication Reconciliation Project, was selected from hospital programs statewide to be featured at the Safety Convocation.

"The Medication Reconciliation Project is just one way we help to insure the safety of our patients both when they enter and leave the hospital," said Susan Schussel, performance improvement/patient safety manager at Willamette Valley Medical Center. "We collect information on all home medications, including herbs and over-the counter medications, and we enter that immediately into the patient's medical record. This information is then available to physicians, nurses and pharmacists who are caring for the patient and involved in prescribing and administering medications."

The entire patient care team reviews, verifies and then compares home medications to hospital-ordered medications. This guards against unsafe drug interactions or the possibility of missing vital home medications while the patient is in the hospital. Upon discharge from the hospital, care providers again review the patient's home medications and any new medications that may have been prescribed while at the hospital. All medications ordered at discharge are then discussed with the patient, the family and/or care providers.

"We call it 'patient care continuum' because concern for our patients does not stop when they leave the hospital," said Schussel. "Their health is an ongoing concern for us and we want to be proactive in making sure we do all we can to make the medication transition from home to hospital or hospital to home a smooth and safe one."

"It's rewarding to have a patient safety program recognized as one of the best in the state," said Connie Pullen, Willamette Valley Medical Center's chief quality officer.  "It's even more rewarding to have satisfied patients who leave the hospital informed and knowledgeable about their medications."