Washington Hospital 2010 Annual Quality Report - (Page 5)

Assuring a safe place for patients Highlights of our safety initiatives 100% bridging the gaps in medication safety Washington Hospital 90% 2008 2009 Medication safety is a top priority at Washington Hospital. Our multidisciplinary Medication Safety Committee, with the involvement and support of our physicians, is responsible for monitoring and improving the entire medication use process. Percent of patients with medication list upon admission Since the beginning of the project late in 2008, nearly all patients have a home medication list completed when they are admitted to Washington Hospital An important aspect of medication safety is medication reconciliation, which compares a patient’s home medications with those ordered during the hospital stay and at discharge. This proven medication safety initiative has been adopted by The Joint Commission as a National Patient Safety Goal. It requires that patients be given a list of medications they are to continue after their discharge from the hospital. Recognizing that compiling an accurate list of medications and keeping it current is critical to patient safety, our Medication Safety Committee appointed a Medication Reconciliation Team to improve the process. In collaboration with the Hospital’s Information Technology Department, the Team developed proprietary software that is used to compile all of the patient’s necessary medication reconciliation information and generate a readable medication list for the patient upon discharge. The process begins when a patient is admitted to the Hospital. At this time, nurses and pharmacy technicians use the software application to prepare a home medication list, which is then reviewed by a licensed pharmacist and a physician. Since we introduced the electronic medication reconciliation application, we have compiled home medication lists for more than 99 percent of our patients upon admission. a foundation for medication safety As part of a patient’s admission process, Washington Hospital Pharmacy Technician Virginia DeGuzman reviews and documents all home medications. 5 

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Washington Hospital 2010 Annual Quality Report

Washington Hospital 2010 Annual Quality Report
Mission Statement
Setting Our Quality Goals
Our Total Commitment
Inspiring Change Through Excellence
Collaborating for Quality and Safety
Promoting Safety
Assuring a Safe Place for Patients
Focusing on Improvement
Cultivating Quality
Advancing Excellence in Nursing
Connecting Evidence-based Practice to Quality Outcomes
Teaming Up for Higher Quality and Greater Efficiency
Learning From Our Patients
Innovation That Builds Quality
Recognized for Quality
Raising the Bar on Quality

Washington Hospital 2010 Annual Quality Report

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