Why 'Universal Precautions are needed for medication lists

The risks associated with healthcare-acquired infections resulted in the adoption of ‘Universal Precautions’1 within the USA to prevent harmful infections due to bloodborne pathogens. In the USA, the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services has created an incentive programme for electronic health records that requires implementation of ‘Meaningful Use’ core measures. Among these measures is the requirement that physicians and other individuals who prescribe medications maintain current medication lists. This requirement has increased the use of these lists that frequently contain discrepancies or errors and are then used to create prescriptions and inpatient medication orders.2 Across healthcare settings, a variety of individuals with varying levels of knowledge about medications enter medication histories into electronic health records (EHRs). Errors that are introduced then become ‘hardwired’3 and used for prescribing medications that can cause harm. Much like the presence of bloodborne diseases, clinicians and patients...
Source: BMJ Quality and Safety - Category: Journals (General) Authors: Tags: Viewpoints Source Type: research