Utilizing paper charts to improve medication reconciliation in a Family Medicine Clinic
Abstract
Despite the importance of correctly identifying and recording accurate medication lists into patients’ medical records and the perceived simplicity of that task, effective medication reconciliation remains difficult to accomplish in the outpatient setting. Several barriers to effective reconciliation in a Family Medicine Residency Clinic exist including lack of continuity with patients, polypharmacy, time constraints, and a multitude of electronic/EMR constraints. As part of a Quality Improvement project to increase the percentage of medication reconciliations performed in a Family Medicine Residency Clinic, we proposed a project utilizing paper medication lists to help assist providers in completing medication reconciliations in their encounters and inputting those results into the EMR. The most current reconciled patient medication lists of scheduled patients for each provider was printed via the EPIC EMR and supplied to medical residents during the pre-session huddle. Residents were instructed to utilize the paper medication lists to help complete medication reconciliations during their encounters. Completion of medication reconciliations was assessed via chart review of patient encounters by evaluating whether the "reviewed medication" and "reconciled outside medications" icons were completed in the encounter by residents which is the standard medication reconciliation practice. Results were collected over 2 days in the ETSU Family Medicine Bristol Clinic and aggregated as a percentage of completed medication reconciliations vs total encounters. The results of the project will be compared against 2 days in our clinic without paper charts to help assist in medication reconciliations. By completing the aforementioned study, we expect to demonstrate that the use of paper medication lists utilized during patient encounters will increase the percentage of medication reconciliations performed. Furthermore, we expect this process to increase patient, resident physician, and attending physician involvement in the medication reconciliation process.
Start Time
15-4-2026 1:30 PM
End Time
15-4-2026 4:30 PM
Room Number
Culp Ballroom 316
Poster Number
26
Presentation Type
Poster
Presentation Subtype
Posters - Competitive
Presentation Category
Health
Student Type
Graduate and Professional Degree Students, Residents, Fellows
Faculty Mentor
Mary Axelrad
Utilizing paper charts to improve medication reconciliation in a Family Medicine Clinic
Culp Ballroom 316
Despite the importance of correctly identifying and recording accurate medication lists into patients’ medical records and the perceived simplicity of that task, effective medication reconciliation remains difficult to accomplish in the outpatient setting. Several barriers to effective reconciliation in a Family Medicine Residency Clinic exist including lack of continuity with patients, polypharmacy, time constraints, and a multitude of electronic/EMR constraints. As part of a Quality Improvement project to increase the percentage of medication reconciliations performed in a Family Medicine Residency Clinic, we proposed a project utilizing paper medication lists to help assist providers in completing medication reconciliations in their encounters and inputting those results into the EMR. The most current reconciled patient medication lists of scheduled patients for each provider was printed via the EPIC EMR and supplied to medical residents during the pre-session huddle. Residents were instructed to utilize the paper medication lists to help complete medication reconciliations during their encounters. Completion of medication reconciliations was assessed via chart review of patient encounters by evaluating whether the "reviewed medication" and "reconciled outside medications" icons were completed in the encounter by residents which is the standard medication reconciliation practice. Results were collected over 2 days in the ETSU Family Medicine Bristol Clinic and aggregated as a percentage of completed medication reconciliations vs total encounters. The results of the project will be compared against 2 days in our clinic without paper charts to help assist in medication reconciliations. By completing the aforementioned study, we expect to demonstrate that the use of paper medication lists utilized during patient encounters will increase the percentage of medication reconciliations performed. Furthermore, we expect this process to increase patient, resident physician, and attending physician involvement in the medication reconciliation process.
