A practical tool to reduce medication errors during patient transfer from an intensive care unit

• Objective: To decrease medication errors that occur during the transfer of patients from a surgical intensive care unit (ICU) by institution of a computerized medication reconciliation tool. • Design: Prospective cohort study. Setting and participants: Patients admitted to a 16-bed surgical ICU in an academic medical center. • Measurement: Proportion of medical records with at least 1 error identified. Secondary outcomes included compliance with the tool and number of medication orders changed. • Results: Over the 1-year study period, 1455 medication reconciliation forms were completed. 636 medication orders were changed as a result of the medication form, and 299 (21%) individual patients required at least 1 change. An average of 12.2 orders were changed per week, affecting an average of 6 patients per week. There was a high rate of compliance with the form. • Conclusion: The implementation of a simple, inexpensive tool is associated with a decrease in medication errors that reach patients during transfer from a surgical ICU.