title: Impact of a pharmacy student-driven medication delivery service at hospital discharge.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  A pharmacy student-driven discharge service developed for patients to reduce the number of medication errors on after-visit summaries (AVSs) is discussed.
  
  
  METHODS
  An audit of AVS documents was conducted before the implementation period (September 3 to October 23, 2013) to identify medication errors. As part of the audit, a pharmacist review of the discharge medication list was completed to determine the number and types of errors that occurred. A student-driven discharge service with AVS review was developed in collaboration with nursing and medical residents. Students reviewed a patient's AVS, delivered the discharge prescriptions to bedside, and conducted medication reconciliation with the patient and family. The AVS audit was conducted after implementation of these services to assess the impact on medication errors.
  
  
  RESULTS
  It was observed that 72% (108 of 150) of AVSs contained at least 1 error before discharge and AVS review. During the 2-month postimplementation period (September 3 to October 23, 2014), this decreased to 27% (34 of 127), resulting in a 52% absolute reduction in the number of AVSs with at least 1 medication error (p< 0.0001). The most common error was as-needed medication with no indication, which decreased from 55% in the preimplementation audit to 16% in the postimplementation audit. Prescribing to Nationwide Children's Hospital's outpatient pharmacy increased from 57% in the preimplementation period to 73% in the postimplementation period for the general pediatrics service.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A pharmacy student-driven discharge and medication delivery service reduced the number of AVSs and increased access to medications for patients.
authors.affiliation: Rainbow Babies and Children's Hospital, Cleveland, OH jacalyn.rogers@uhhospitals.org.
authors.forename: Jacalyn
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Rogers
authors.affiliation: Nationwide Children's Hospital, Columbus, OH.
authors.forename: Vinita
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Pai
authors.affiliation: Nationwide Children's Hospital, Columbus, OH.
authors.forename: Jenna
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Merandi
authors.affiliation: Nationwide Children's Hospital, Columbus, OH.
authors.forename: Char
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Catt
authors.affiliation: Cedarville University School of Pharmacy, Cedarville, OH.
authors.forename: Justin
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Cole
authors.affiliation: Nationwide Children's Hospital, Columbus, OH.
authors.forename: Shannon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yarosz
authors.affiliation: The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH.
authors.forename: Allison
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Wehr
authors.affiliation: Nationwide Children's Hospital, Columbus, OH.
authors.forename: Kayla
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Durkin
authors.affiliation: Nationwide Children's Hospital, Columbus, OH.
authors.forename: Chet
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Kaczor
mesh_terms: D006776:Hospitals, Pediatric / Q000592:standards; D006801:Humans; D008508:Medication Errors / Q000517:prevention & control*; D059065:Medication Reconciliation / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards*; D010351:Patient Discharge / Q000592:standards*; D010607:Pharmacy Service, Hospital / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards*; D058996:Quality Improvement / Q000592:standards*; D013339:Students, Pharmacy
keywords: medication reconciliation; pediatrics; student