Spilled pills out of bottle

Research shows that when patients are engaged in their healthcare, it can lead to measurable improvements in safety and quality.

The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) recently released its Guide to Improving Patient Safety in Primary Care Settings by Engaging Patients and Families. This toolkit features a patient-based strategy which engages patients and families to actively participate with their primary care team and clinician to develop a complete and accurate medication list to be used for medication reconciliation and identify factors that put patients at risk for an adverse drug event.

The Medication Management Strategy intervention includes tools for clinicians, patients and families and practice staff. AHRQ has added these tools, resources, interventions and more on their Web site. Click here to learn more.

The Great Plains QIN is partnering with providers, pharmacists and stakeholders in the region to reduce and monitor ADE rates. Learn more about this partnership on the Medication Safety webpage. For more information on how medication safety is a key element to improved care coordination, visit the Great Plains QIN Care Coordination Initiative page.