The federal standard medication plan in practice: An observational cross-sectional study on prevalence and quality

Abstract

Background: Medication plans are instruments used to document drug therapies, guide patients, and ensure medication safety. In Germany, patients who take at least 3 long-term medications are eligible to receive a medication plan. It has been statutory to use the federal standard layout (German: "Bundeseinheitlicher Medikationsplan") since April 2017.

Objectives: This study explores the prevalence, availability, medication discrepancies, and conformance with statutory regulations of medication plans since the introduction of the format of the federal standard medication plan in Germany.

Methods: Medication reconciliation was performed for hospitalized patients according to the Best Possible Medication History principle. The collected medication lists were analyzed for medication discrepancies and conformance with the statutory regulations. The medication discrepancies were (1) omitted drugs, (2) additional drugs, and (3) dosing errors.

Results: After hospitalization, 524 patients taking drugs were included. The majority (n = 424 patients) were eligible for a medication plan. While 241 medication lists were present, only 24.1% (n = 58) matched the federal standard format. The mean number of drugs was 6.3 ± 3.6, with 3315 medications (3046 long-term and 269 as needed) reconciled totally. The 84 medication lists with omitted or additional drugs included 166 medication discrepancies upon 774 drugs listed. Of the 253 patients with dosing errors, 146 had a medication list. Inappropriate dosages were due to single dose (n = 195), daily dose (n = 225) or frequency of application (n = 255).

Conclusion: Medication plans are valuable tools for patients and health care providers. This study shows that the introduced paper-based federal standard medication plan in Germany falls short of its expectations regarding availability and correctness. Switching to an electronic patient record system may overcome some of the current pitfalls.

Keywords: Medication error; Medication plan; Medication safety; Medication use; Medication-use policy.