PT - JOURNAL ARTICLE AU - Tommy Eriksson AU - Frida Strobel Wallin AU - Karin Henricson AU - Anna Lundin AU - Jesper Petersson TI - ApoLänk decreases patient medication discrepancies at discharge: initial experience from a Swedish bedside pharmacy service AID - 10.1136/ejhpharm-2012-000109 DP - 2013 Feb 01 TA - European Journal of Hospital Pharmacy: Science and Practice PG - 54--56 VI - 20 IP - 1 4099 - http://ejhp.bmj.com/content/20/1/54.short 4100 - http://ejhp.bmj.com/content/20/1/54.full SO - Eur J Hosp Pharm2013 Feb 01; 20 AB - Objective To develop a working model so that dispensing pharmacists, patients and medical staff can work together to identify, solve and prevent problems associated with discharge prescriptions. Methods A routine was developed for communication between pharmacists, patients and medical staff and for dispensing drugs at the bedside. Hospital medication lists and prescriptions from the pharmacy and healthcare databases were simultaneously assessed. The study was carried out in two neurological wards in a Swedish university hospital. Results Major shortcomings were identified in the coordination of pharmacy and healthcare records and in patients’ ability to take responsibility for their medication at discharge. Discussion between patients and staff allowed discrepancies in communication and documentation to be corrected. Cooperation between pharmacists and nurses was perceived as being very positive and important. Conclusions The Apolänk service was appreciated by nurses, is almost cost neutral and reduces discrepancies that have the potential to cause patient harm.