Medication management is an important part of quality care in the post-acute and long-term care (PALTC) setting. Despite the best efforts of dedicated practitioners and interdisciplinary team leaders, however, it is difficult to eliminate medication errors and adverse drug events. Medication errors endanger the health of the geriatric population, fill emergency rooms and hospital beds, and contribute to escalating health care costs. In keeping with the multidisciplinary nature of the PALTC setting, this manual is designed to be used by practitioners, licensed nursing staff, administrators, licensed therapists, pharmacists, surveyors, and other caregivers in the PALTC setting.
It is the responsibility of every team member in the PALTC continuum to address the problem of medication errors and to take an active role in implementing solutions. Effective communication channels, interdisciplinary skills and knowledge, and streamlined management systems all contribute to more appropriate medication management and better patient outcomes.
The purpose of this manual is to provide practitioners in the PALTC setting with information and tools to help them improve patient care, enhance medication management, and reduce medication errors. These improvements will occur through the active and informed involvement of interdisciplinary team leaders and members and the use of tools that are user-friendly and effective.
By using the guidance in this manual professionals should be able to
- Identify both actual and potential medication-related problems,
- Improve systems and processes of care,
- Reduce the clinical and financial impact of inappropriate medication use,
- Provide medication management education to members of the interdisciplinary team, and and
- Improve the medical care of LTC patients through more appropriate medication use.
This manual consists of an introduction, 15 chapters and an appendix.
- Prescribing
- Transcribing
- Documentation
- Therapeutic Goals
- Appropriate Prescribing of Psychoactive Agents in the Long-Term Care Setting
- Medication Administration
- A Multidisciplinary Approach to Preventing, Identifying, and Resolving Adverse Medication Events
- Optimizing Medication Dispensing, Delivery, and Verification
- Formulary Management and Drug Utilization
- Controlled Substances
- Role of the Medical Director in Medication Management
- Quality Assurance in Medication Management