title: Medication history taking in emergency department triage is inaccurate and incomplete.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Medication error prevention has become a priority in health care. The Joint Commission recommends that a list of medications, dosages, and allergies be obtained from all patients. The authors sought to determine the accuracy of medication history taking in emergency department (ED) triage. The hypothesis was that there would be significant discrepancies between medications listed in triage and those the patient was actually taking.
  
  
  METHODS
  This was a prospective, cross-sectional survey of adult patients presenting to the ED. As a part of regular care, nurses recorded a medication list during triage in the electronic medical record (EMR). For this study, the triage medication list was rechecked during an independent patient interview.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of 1,797 patients approached, 1,657 completed the survey (92%). The mean age was 39 years (standard deviation [SD] ±16 years). Discrepancies in medication lists obtained during triage were documented in 626 (37%) patients. Discontinued medications (163, 9.8%) were included, additional medications (463, 27.9%) were omitted, and 632 patients (38%) reported taking a nonprescription medication not listed in the EMR.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Medication histories performed in ED triage are inaccurate and incomplete.
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency Medicine, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA. maryannmazer@gmail.com
authors.forename: Maryann
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mazer
authors.forename: Francis
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Deroos
authors.forename: Judd E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Hollander
authors.forename: Christine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: McCusker
authors.forename: Nicholas
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Peacock
authors.forename: Jeanmarie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Perrone
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital / Q000592:standards*; D006801:Humans; D008487:Medical History Taking / Q000592:standards*; D008508:Medication Errors / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D014218:Triage / Q000592:standards*