[Improving patient's medication knowledge at hospital discharge].
The period following hospital discharge is a time of vulnerability regarding the continuity of care and carries the highest risk of patient errors and confusion with medications. Strategies to improve knowledge and understanding of medications at discharge are necessary and may result in safer use, better compliance, and reduced health care expenditures. In our service of general internal medicine, a structured patient-centered discharge interview, performed by the resident caring for the patient and reinforced by a simple and individualized treatment card, increased patients' knowledge of their discharge medications.
Simonet
M Louis
ML
Service de médecine interne générale, Departement de médecine interne HUG, 121 Geneve 14. Martin.LouisSimonet@hcuge.ch
D003363:Cost Control; D005102:Health Expenditures; D006801:Humans; D008499:Medical Records; D008508:Medication Errors / Q000517:prevention & control*; D010349:Patient Compliance; D010351:Patient Discharge; D010353:Patient Education as Topic