Massachusetts Coalition for the Prevention of Medical Errors (in collaboration with the Massachusetts Medical Society)
Burlington, Massachusetts, USA

It is important to have an accurate list of medications to help ensure safety at any transition of care. To promote patient safety and reduce the growing incidence of medication errors in the office setting, this patient medication list was created for patients and their families to carry with them to medical appointments. This medication list (Med List) helps patients and their families track medication history, and also helps providers reconcile medications during medical visits.

Med List is a form that promotes patient health and safety through three steps:

1. By helping patients track their use of medications, herbs, vitamins, other dietary supplements and additionally helps track medication start and stop dates, when the medication should be taken, purpose of taking it, if any monitoring is required, and possible danger signs;
2. By assisting patients in discussing their medication history with physicians;
3. By giving physicians more complete and accurate information about a patient's medications to help provide a safer level of care.

Background

The Massachusetts Coalition for the Prevention of Medical Errors, in collaboration with the Massachusetts Medical Society and with support from the Commonwealth’s Betsy Lehman Center, introduced a health safety initiative for both patients and health care providers to reduce the growing incidence of medication errors in the office setting.

• Improving communication in the ambulatory setting about medications through the design and testing of a medication form with prompts for key information and for the process of reconciling medications with patients and physicians in office practice settings.
• Engaging the state’s physician office practices as well as patients in the implementation and use of a medication list and the process of reconciling medications.