title: Improving the coordination of patients' medication management: a regional Finnish development project.
abstract: In this paper, we present an overview of activities and results from a regional development project in Finland. The aim in this project was to analyze how healthcare providers produce and receive information on a patient's medication, and to identify opportunities to improve the quality, effectiveness, availability and collaboration of social and healthcare services in relation to medication information. The project focused on the most important points in patients' medication management such as home care and care transitions. In a regional development project, data was gathered by interviews and a multi professional workshop. The study revealed that medication information reached only some professionals and lay caregivers despite electronic patient record (EPR) systems and tools. Differences in work processes related to medication reconciliation and information management were discussed in the group meeting and were regarded as a considerable risk for patient safety.
authors.affiliation: Department of Health and Social Management, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland.
authors.forename: Eija
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kivekäs
authors.affiliation: School of Computing, HIS R&D, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland.
authors.forename: Irmeli
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Luukkonen
authors.affiliation: School of Computing, HIS R&D, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland.
authors.forename: Juha
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Mykkänen
authors.affiliation: Department of Health and Social Management, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland.
authors.forename: Kaija
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Saranto
mesh_terms: D016303:Clinical Pharmacy Information Systems / Q000458:organization & administration*; D057286:Electronic Health Records / Q000458:organization & administration*; D055991:Health Records, Personal; D050316:Medical Order Entry Systems / Q000458:organization & administration*; D008510:Medication Systems, Hospital; D017146:Models, Organizational; D020380:Needs Assessment