medicatierondes

Medicatierondes, or medication rounds, are structured inpatient activities in which a healthcare team reviews and administers a patient’s medications on a ward. The rounds aim to ensure that prescribed medications are appropriate, available, and correctly administered, and to reconcile any discrepancies arising from admissions, transfers, or discontinuations. The process also serves to optimize therapy, detect adverse effects, interactions, and dosing issues, and involve patients in understanding their treatment.

Typically, medicatierondes involve doctors or residents, nurses, and often a pharmacist. In many hospitals a pharmacist attends rounds or reviews the medication list separately. The rounds rely on the patient’s medication administration record (MAR) or electronic health record, and may use bar-code scanning to verify the patient and the drug. The team checks identity, allergies, current medications, recent doses, renal/hepatic function, and changes ordered since the last dose. They verify dosing, adjust as necessary, stop or start medications, and document the plan. They may also adjust therapy for interactions, side effects, or changes in clinical status, and discuss the plan with the patient.

Challenges include time constraints, interruptions, and high workload, which can contribute to omissions or errors. Technology such as electronic prescribing, allergy checks, and barcode medication administration aims to improve safety. Outcomes commonly targeted include reduction of medication errors, better reconciliation at discharge, and optimized pharmacotherapy.