Association between drug discrepancies and length of stay in the surgical clinic at a university hospital
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.30968/rbfhss.2021.122.0547Abstract
Objective: This research aimed to verify the association between medication discrepancies at hospital admission and length of stay in surgical patients at a teaching hospital. Method: This is a retrospective cohort study, carried out with all inpatients in the surgical clinic between 2014 and 2018. Discrepancies were assessed by comparing the drugs of the first medical prescription in a hospital environment and the drugs listed in the best possible history of medication, a document that details the use of medications at home in the week before hospitalization. This information is obtained through a structured interview with the patient, applied by a clinical pharmacist in the first 24 hours of the patient’s hospitalization. These patients were evaluated in two groups: (a) exposed to drug discrepancies and (b) not exposed. The data sources were the patient’s pharmacotherapeutic and electronic medical records. The level of statistical significance was set at p <0.005. Results: 338 individuals were included, of these 187 (55.3%) exposed to discrepancies. The average length of stay for the exposed was 11 days (SD = 23), whereas the unexposed group was 10.5 days (SD = 38) p = 0.352. In the group exposed to discrepancy, 112 (80.6%) individuals had at least one comorbidity. The average length of stay of adults (age up to 59 years) exposed to drug discrepancies was 10.6 days (SD = 19.6) while that of those not exposed was 8.6 days (SD = 40.5) p = 0.483. In the group exposed to the discrepancy, 58 (52.7%) adults had at least one comorbidity, p = 0.000. The average length of stay of the elderly (age over 60 years) exposed to the medication discrepancy was 11.5 days (SD = 27) while for the elderly who were not exposed was 15.5 days (SD = 31.7) p = 0.394. In the group of elderly people exposed to discrepancy, 54 (70.2%) individuals had at least one comorbidity. p = 0.000. Conclusion: This result indicates that there is no association between drug discrepancies at hospital admission and length of stay. The occurrence of drug discrepancies is associated with patients with comorbidities and the elderly.
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