Introduction: It is a well-known phenomenon that there is a lack of information about patients' medicines at their admittance to hospital. By using data from the electronic medicine profile (PEM) the extra information is to be evaluated and compared to normal procedure for collecting medicine information.
Material and methods: This cross-section investigation involves patients admitted with acute hip fractures at Amager Hospital, Copenhagen. After registration of the patients' medication history extra information was extracted from PEM with the consent of the patient. Information from medication history, patient, general practitioner, and PEM was compared in order to reach an overall view of the patients' current medicine status.
Results: Sixty-three patients participated; 58 gave consent. The average age was 80 years, and the patients used on average five medicaments each, totalling 323 out of which PEM stated the use of 99, which were not supplied by other sources. Out of 39 patients 2.5 lacked medicaments. 55% of these medicaments were estimated to be of significant clinical importance for further treatment. Two patients could have been exposed to a potential lethal occurrence had information from PEM not been applied. Every third drug that PEM added belonged to the Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical-systemets group N, which has the indication for the nervous system, including pain and depression.
Conclusion: Information from PEM helps improve medication history. The possibility of wrong medication especially in the form of insufficient medication and interaction due to lack of information on the patients' current medicine is minimised through the use of PEM.