Developing a Form to Enhance the Continuum of Medication Care Following Hospital Discharge

Aim: To develop a form to enhance the continuum of medication care following hospital discharge, trial its introduction in a public hospital medical ward and estimate the human resources required for full implementation. Method: A form was developed to facilitate the collection of information for compliance with the guidelines of the Australian Pharmaceutical Advisory Council to enhance the continuum of medication care. The form was trialed for one month by a project officer and for one month by the treatment team. Results: During the first period there was a marked increase in the quantity and quality of medication histories, recording of medication pathways, medication risk assessments and counselling. None of these functions were performed by the treatment team during the second period. The time taken to gather the required information averaged 0.56 hours per patient. Conclusion: The form enhanced the continuum of medication care from admission through to, and beyond, discharge. The treatment team did not have the time to complete the form and noted that pharmacists are ideally placed to perform this task. For the successful implementation of the form, sufficient staff may need to be employed.