El Amin Ibrahim El Neama

A major reason for medication errors and adverse drug effects is lack of knowledge of the patient’s in home medication use. Secondary medication interviews improve the medication history compared to the history routinely written in hospital files. The current study is designed to study the accuracy of medication history at Hospital Admission(Patient Reconciliation)in Khartoum State hospitals. This was a descriptive, cross-sectional questionnaire hospital-based study, carried out in five internal medicine. Firstly, patient variables were recorded in data sheet. Secondly, medication interview process was conducted and recorded the collected data in a medication interview questionnaire form. Thirdly, discrepancies were identified and classified.A pharmacist interviewed 265 patients. In the hospital medical records regarding to past prescribed medication/s only 179 (67.6%) of patients had records. In the BPMH interview questionnaire, 213 (80%) of patients were taken past prescribed medication. 209 (78.9%) of patients were taken past non prescribed medication. Regarding to discrepancies a total of  265 patients, 211(80%) of  patients had 488 discrepancies in pre admission past prescribed medications. On another hand, a total of 209 patients had 318 discrepancies in pre admission non prescribed medications. Finally, Our findings showed that there no difference between physicians’ specialties in the frequency and depth of information of  medications history.The data presented reveal problem areas in inaccurate medication history at admission. This has the potential to cause harm to patients if it remains undetected. Pharmacists could potentially play a major role in ascertaining accurate and complete medication histories.