Description of Alicyclobacillus montanus sp. nov., a mixotrophic bacterium isolated from acidic hot springs.

Three morphologically similar thermo-acidophilic strains, USBA-GBX-501, USBA-GBX-502 and USBA-GBX-503T, were isolated from acidic thermal springs at the National Natural Park Los Nevados (Colombia). All isolates were spore-forming, Gram-stain-positive and motile, growing aerobically at 25-55 °C (optimum ~45 °C) and at pH 1.5-4.5 (optimum pH ~3.0). Phylogenetic analysis of the 16S rRNA gene sequences of these isolates showed an almost identical sequence (99.0 % similarity) and they formed a robust cluster with the closest relative Alicyclobacillus tolerans DSM 16297T with a sequence similarity of 99.0 %. Average similarity to other species of the genus Alicyclobacillus was 93.0 % and average similarity to species of the genus Effusibacillus was 90 %. In addition, the level of DNA-DNA hybridization between strain USBA-GBX-503T and Alicyclobacillus tolerans DSM 16297T was 31.7 %. The genomic DNA G+C content of strain USBA-GBX-503T was 44.6 mol%. The only menaquinone was MK-7 (100.0 %). No ω-alicyclic fatty acids were detected in strain USBA-GBX-503T, and the major cellular fatty acids were C18 : 1ω7c, anteiso-C17 : 0 and iso-C17 : 0. Based on phenotypic and chemotaxonomic characteristics, phylogenetic analysis and DNA-DNA relatedness values, along with low levels of identity at the whole genome level (ANIb and ANIm values of <67.0 and <91.0 %, respectively), it can be concluded that strain USBA-GBX-503T represents a novel species of the genus Alicyclobacillus, for which the name Alicyclobacillus montanus sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is USBA-GBX-503T (=CMPUJ UGB U503T=CBMAI1927T).

Peptidolytic Microbial Community of Methanogenic Reactors from two Modified Uasbs of Brewery Industries.

We studied the peptide-degrading anaerobic communities of methanogenic reactors from two mesophilic full-scale modified upflow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) reactors treating brewery wastewater in Colombia. Most probable number (MPN) counts varied between 7.1 x 10(8) and 6.6 × 10(9) bacteria/g volatile suspended solids VSS (Methanogenic Reactor 1) and 7.2 × 10(6) and 6.4 × 10(7) bacteria/g (VSS) (Methanogenic Reactor 2). Metabolites detected in the highest positive MPN dilutions in both reactors were mostly acetate, propionate, isovalerate and, in some cases, negligible concentrations of butyrate. Using the highest positive dilutions of MPN counts, 50 dominant strains were isolated from both reactors, and 12 strains were selected for sequencing their 16S rRNA gene based on their phenotypic characteristics. The small-subunit rRNA gene sequences indicated that these strains were affiliated to the families Propionibacteriaceae, Clostridiaceae and Syntrophomonadaceae in the low G + C gram-positive group and Desulfovibrio spp. in the class δ-Proteobacteria. The main metabolites detected in the highest positive dilutions of MPN and the presence of Syntrophomonadaceae indicate the effect of the syntrophic associations on the bioconversion of these substrates in methanogenic reactors. Additionally, the potential utilization of external electron acceptors for the complete degradation of amino acids by Clostridium strains confirms the relevance of these acceptors in the transformation of peptides and amino acids in these systems.

Description of a new anaerobic thermophilic bacterium, Thermoanaerobacterium butyriciformans sp. nov.

Strain USBA-019T, an anaerobic and thermophilic strain, was identified as a new member of the genus Thermoanaerobacterium. USBA-019T cells are gram-positive, strictly anaerobic, thermophilic, chemoorganotrophic, moderately acidophilic, non-motile, endospore-forming, slightly curved, and rod-shaped. Cells measure 0.4×3.0-7.0µm. Optimal growth occurs at 50-55°C (35-65°C). Optimum pH is 5.0-5.5 (4.0-8.5). Thiosulfate, elemental sulfur and nitrate were utilized as electron acceptors. Fermentation of glucose, lactose, cellobiose, galactose, arabinose, xylose, starch and xylan primarily produced acetate and butyrate. Xylan, starch and cellobiose produced ethanol and starch, cellobiose, galactose, arabinose and mannose produced lactic acid. Phylogenetic analyses based on 16S rRNA gene sequence comparison and genomic relatedness indices show the close relation of USBA-019T to Thermoanaerobacterium thermostercoris and Thermoanaerobacterium aotearoense (similarity value: 99%). Hybridization of USBA-019T, Th. thermostercoris DSM22141T and Th. aotearoense DMS10170T found DNA-DNA relatedness of 33.2% and 18.2%, respectively. Based on phenotypic, chemotaxonomic and phylogenetic evidence, along with low identity at whole genome level, USBA-019T is a novel species of the genus Thermoanaerobacterium which we propose to name Thermoanaerobacterium butyriciformans sp. nov. The type strain is USBA-019T (=CMPUJ U-019T=DSM 101588T).

Análisis de las prescripciones nuevas al alta de un Servicio de Urgencias Hospitalario. Impacto en la seguridad y eficiencia / Analysis of new prescriptions at discharge in an Emergency Deparment. Impact on drug safety and efficiency

Objetivo: Analizar las prescripciones nuevas al alta del Servicio de Urgencias Hospitalario: perfil de utilización, grado de adecuación a la Guía Farmacoterapéutica del hospital (GFT), calidad de la prescripción y estimación de costes.Método: Estudio descriptivo transversal. Las variables incluyeron número de medicamentos prescritos, si se hizo según Denominación Oficial Española, financiación por el Sistema Nacional de Salud, adecuación a la GFT y existencia de alternativa más económica. También se comprobó la cumplimentación de datos básicos y coste de las prescripciones.Resultados: En un total de 1.252 episodios hubo 2.152 prescripciones nuevas al alta. Del total de prescripciones, se adecuaron a la Guía Farmacoterapéutica del hospital el 78,0% y estaban financiadas el 88,9%. Los fármacos más comunes fueron: paracetamol metamizol, ibuprofeno, dexketoprofeno y omeprazol. La cumplimentación deficitaria de la prescripción comprometió la dispensación en 231 prescripciones (10,7%). En 20 presentaciones se concentra el 57,5% del gasto y el 73% del ahorro. Extrapolando los resultados a las prescripciones de un año se obtiene que el gasto farmacéutico sería de 1.161.608,8€, esperándose una reducción en 370.846,2€ tras la adecuación a la guía o de 571.323,3€ añadiendo la entrega de medicación. Conclusiones: Las prescripciones nuevas al alta se concentran en un número bajo de medicamentos. Actuar sobre los mismos permite un amplio margen de mejora económico y aumenta la seguridad. Evitar la prescripción de medicamentos no financiados y garantizar la entrega de la medicación al alta en el Servicio de Urgencias, son otro de las puntos de mejora identificados. (AU)

Objective: To analyze the new prescriptions at discharge from the Emergency Department: utilization profile, degree of adaptation to the Pharmacotherapeutic Guide, quality of the prescription and cost estimation.Method: Cross-sectional descriptive study. The variables included the number of prescribed medications, if it was done according to the Spanish Official Denomination, financing by the National Health System, adaptation to the Pharmacotherapeutic Guide and the existence of a cheaper alternative. The completion of basic data and cost of prescriptions was also checked.Results: A total of 1,252 episodes received 2,152 prescriptions with a mean of 2.1 per episode. Out of them 78% were adapted to the hospital pharmacotherapeutic guide and 88.9% financed drugs. Most common drugs were: acetaminophen, metamizole, ibuprofen, desketoprofen and omeprazole. The deficit filling of the prescription compromised the dispensation in 231 prescriptions (10.7%). In 20 drugs, 57.5% of spending and 73.0% of saving were concentrated. Extrapolating the results to the prescriptions of one year, it is obtained that the expense would be €1,161,008.8, expecting for a reduction in €370,846.2 after adaptation to the guide or € 571,323.3 by adding the medication delivery strategy.Conclusions: New prescriptions at discharge are concentrated in a low number of medications. Acting on them allows a wide margin of economic improvement and increases security. Avoiding the prescription of non-financed medicines and guaranteeing the delivery of the medication upon discharge from the Emergency Department are another of the points of improvement identified. (AU)

Procedure for the systematic orientation of digitised cranial models. Design and validation.

Comparison of bony pieces requires that they are oriented systematically to ensure that homologous regions are compared. Few orientation methods are highly accurate; this is particularly true for methods applied to three-dimensional models obtained by surface scanning, a technique whose special features make it a powerful tool in forensic contexts. The aim of this study was to develop and evaluate a systematic, assisted orientation method for aligning three-dimensional cranial models relative to the Frankfurt Plane, which would be produce accurate orientations independent of operator and anthropological expertise. The study sample comprised four crania of known age and sex. All the crania were scanned and reconstructed using an Eva Artec™ portable 3D surface scanner and subsequently, the position of certain characteristic landmarks were determined by three different operators using the Rhinoceros 3D surface modelling software. Intra-observer analysis showed a tendency for orientation to be more accurate when using the assisted method than when using conventional manual orientation. Inter-observer analysis showed that experienced evaluators achieve results at least as accurate if not more accurate using the assisted method than those obtained using manual orientation; while inexperienced evaluators achieved more accurate orientation using the assisted method. The method tested is a an innovative system capable of providing very precise, systematic and automatised spatial orientations of virtual cranial models relative to standardised anatomical planes independent of the operator and operator experience.

Desulfovibrio aminophilus sp. nov., a novel amino acid degrading and sulfate reducing bacterium from an anaerobic dairy wastewater lagoon.

A mesophilic strain of sulfate-reducing bacterium, designated ALA-3T (T = type strain), was isolated from an anaerobic lagoon of a dairy wastewater treatment plant. The curved, Gram-negative, non-sporeforming cells (0.2 x 3.0-4.0 microns) existed singly or in chains, and were motile by single polar flagella. Optimum growth occurred at 35 degrees C and pH 7.5 on a medium containing lactate and sulfate. Thiosulfate or sulfite but not elemental sulfur, nitrate, or fumarate could also replace sulfate as an electron acceptor. Formate, alanine, aspartate, leucine, isoleucine, valine, and methionine, H2/CO2 and ethanol also served as electron donors with sulfate as an electron acceptor. Pyruvate, casamino acids, peptone, serine, glycine, cysteine and threonine were fermented. Sulfite and thiosulfate were disproportionated to sulfate and sulfide. The G + C content of the DNA was 66 mol % G + C. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that Desulfovibrio africanus was the nearest relative (similarity of 89%). Strain ALA-3T is physiologically and phylogenetically different from other Desulfovibrio species, and is designated Desulfovibrio aminophilus sp. nov. (DSM 12254).

[Analysis of logistical and organizational aspects of a cruise for patients with chronic respiratory insufficiency. The RESpIRA Expedition and the COPD Cruise]. / Análisis de los aspectos logísticos y organizativos de un crucero para pacientes con insuficiencia respiratoria crónica. La Expedición RESpIRA y el Crucero de la EPOC.

Patients with chronic respiratory insufficiency who are receiving domiciliary oxygen therapy and mechanical ventilation report great difficulty in taking complex trips involving several destinations and prolonged stays away from home. Such patients share a common need for home equipment whose technology is relatively sophisticated, a condition that limits their freedom of movement. We are referring to systems for delivering oxygen therapy and mechanical respirators. Given that such patients have problems traveling by air, we hypothesized that a cruise would be an ideal alternative, given that travel would take place in the hotel itself. A cruise would facilitate the logistics of the journey, given that the equipment would have to be set up at only one setting. Working with these assumptions, we have thus far organized two cruises for chronic respiratory insufficiency patients: the "RESpIRA Expedition" and the "COPD Cruise". Our experience shows that the organizational problems to be coped with are patient recruitment, financing and choice of itinerary. With those aspects clear, organizers must then obtain the authorization of the cruise operator, including the approval of the medical and safety personnel on board. After obtaining permission for the cruise and as soon as the organizers know how many patients will travel, a list of oxygen therapy equipment (respirators and disposable supplies) must be compiled. Finally, equipment suppliers must be found. Afterwards, all that remains is to enjoy the trip. The participation of physicians responsible for domiciliary oxygen therapy and mechanical ventilation programs is essential for making patients feel safe and for assuring solutions for technical and medical problems that might arise.

[Use of MBDS as a tool for the detection of drug-related adverse events]. / Utilización del CMBD como herramienta para la detección de acontecimientos adversos a medicamentos.

OBJECTIVE: To analyze drug-related adverse events (DRAE) as noted in hospital discharge reports, as well as their severity and drugs involved, and to assess potential avoidability. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A retrospective study for the September-December 2002 period of time in which patients with discharge reports including an ICD-9-CM code E930-E949.9 were selected using the minimum basic data set (MBDS). RESULTS: DRAEs were detected in 2.15% of all discharge reports, and 229 were retrospectively assessed. In all, 62.45% (n = 143) were DRAEs detected at the Emergency Department, and 37.55% (n = 86) were DRAEs detected during hospitalization. Of these, 57.20% are considered potentially avoidable. Drugs most commonly involved in the outpatient DRAE sample studied included: digoxin (24.47%, avoidable 97.14%) and NSAIDs-opioids (13.98%, avoidable 75%). Inpatient DRAEs included: anticoagulants (30.23%, avoidable 57.69%) and antimicrobials (17.44%, avoidable 26.67%). CONCLUSIONS: The study revealed a high proportion of preventable DRAEs around a small number of drugs. Information to prescribing doctors and procedures for treatment follow-up using a unit dose drug dispensing system may be useful to reduce this.

[Impact of a software application to improve medication reconciliation at hospital discharge]. / Impacto de una aplicación informática en la mejora de la conciliación de la medicación al alta hospitalaria.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: To assess the impact of a software application to improve the quality of information concerning current patient medications and changes on the discharge report after hospitalization. To analyze the incidence of errors and to classify them. MATERIAL AND METHOD DESIGN: Quasi-experimental pre / post study with non-equivalent control group study. STUDY POPULATION: Medical patients at hospital discharge. INTERVENTION: implementation of a software application. VARIABLES: Percentage of reconciled patient medication on discharge, and percentage of patients with more than one unjustified discrepancy. RESULTS: A total of 349 patients were assessed; 199 (pre-intervention phase) and 150 (post-intervention phase). Before the implementation of the application in 157 patients (78.8%) medication reconciliation had been completed; finding reconciliation errors in 99 (63.0%). The most frequent type of error, 339 (78.5%), was a missing dose or administration frequency information. After implementation, all the patient prescriptions were reconciled when the software was used. The percentage of patients with unjustified discrepancies decreased from 63.0% to 11.8% with the use of the application (p<.001). The main type of discrepancy found on using the application was confusing prescription, due to the fact that the professionals were not used to using the new tool. CONCLUSIONS: The use of a software application has been shown to improve the quality of the information on patient treatment on the hospital discharge report, but it is still necessary to continue development as a strategy for improving medication reconciliation.

[ISMP-Spain questionnaire and strategy for improving good medication practices in the Andalusian health system]. / Cuestionario ISMP-España y estrategia de mejora en el uso seguro del medicamento dentro del Servicio Andaluz de Salud.

OBJECTIVE: To describe the strategy employed by Andalusian public health service hospitals to foster safe medication use. The self-evaluation questionnaire on drug system safety in hospitals, adapted by the Spanish Institute for Safe Medication Practices was used as a fundamental tool to that end. MATERIAL AND METHOD: The strategy is developed in several phases. We analyse the report evaluating drug system safety in Andalusian public hospitals published by the Spanish Ministry of Health and Consumption in 2008 and establish a grading system to assess safe medication practices in Andalusian hospitals and prioritise areas needing improvement. We developed a catalogue of best practices available in the web environment belonging to the Andalusian health care quality agency's patient safety observatory. We publicised the strategy through training seminars and implemented a system allowing hospitals to evaluate the degree of compliance for each of the best practices, and based on that system, we were able to draw up a map of centres of reference. RESULTS: We found areas for improvement among several of the questionnaire's fundamental criteria. These areas for improvement were related to normal medication procedures in daily clinical practice. We therefore wrote 7 best practice guides that provide a cross-section of the assessment components of the questionnaire related to the clinical process needing improvement. CONCLUSIONS: The self-evaluation questionnaire adapted by ISMP-Spain is a good tool for designing a systematic, rational intervention to promote safe medication practices and intended for a group of hospitals that share the same values.

Manual and semi-automatic quantification of in vivo ¹H-MRS data for the classification of human primary brain tumors.

In vivo proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (¹H-MRS) is a technique capable of assessing biochemical content and pathways in normal and pathological tissue. In the brain, ¹H-MRS complements the information given by magnetic resonance images. The main goal of the present study was to assess the accuracy of ¹H-MRS for the classification of brain tumors in a pilot study comparing results obtained by manual and semi-automatic quantification of metabolites. In vivo single-voxel ¹H-MRS was performed in 24 control subjects and 26 patients with brain neoplasms that included meningiomas, high-grade neuroglial tumors and pilocytic astrocytomas. Seven metabolite groups (lactate, lipids, N-acetyl-aspartate, glutamate and glutamine group, total creatine, total choline, myo-inositol) were evaluated in all spectra by two methods: a manual one consisting of integration of manually defined peak areas, and the advanced method for accurate, robust and efficient spectral fitting (AMARES), a semi-automatic quantification method implemented in the jMRUI software. Statistical methods included discriminant analysis and the leave-one-out cross-validation method. Both manual and semi-automatic analyses detected differences in metabolite content between tumor groups and controls (P < 0.005). The classification accuracy obtained with the manual method was 75% for high-grade neuroglial tumors, 55% for meningiomas and 56% for pilocytic astrocytomas, while for the semi-automatic method it was 78, 70, and 98%, respectively. Both methods classified all control subjects correctly. The study demonstrated that ¹H-MRS accurately differentiated normal from tumoral brain tissue and confirmed the superiority of the semi-automatic quantification method.

Tistlia consotensis gen. nov., sp. nov., an aerobic, chemoheterotrophic, free-living, nitrogen-fixing alphaproteobacterium, isolated from a Colombian saline spring.

A Gram-negative, aerobic, mesophilic, non-spore-forming, chemotrophic, chlorophyll-lacking, nitrogen-fixing bacterium, designated strain USBA 355(T), was isolated from the saline spring 'Salado de Consotá' situated in the Colombian Andes. The non-flagellated cells of strain USBA 355(T) were straight to slightly curved rods (0.6-0.7 x 3.0-3.5 microm). Growth occurred optimally at 30 degrees C (growth temperature range between 20 and 40 degrees C), at pH 6.5-6.7 (pH growth range between 5.0 and 8.0) and at 0.5 % NaCl (w/v) (range between 0 and 4 %). The major quinone present was Q-10 and the predominant fatty acids identified were C(19 : 0) cyclo omega8c, C(18 : 1)omega7c and C(18 : 0). The G+C content of the chromosomal DNA was 71+/-1 mol%. 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis indicated that strain USBA 355(T) formed a distant phylogenetic line of descent with members of the genus Thalassobaculum, family Rhodospirillaceae, class Alphaproteobacteria (90 % gene sequence similarity). Comparison of the phylogenetic, chemotaxonomic and physiological features of strain USBA 355(T) with all other members of the family Rhodospirillaceae suggested that it represents a novel genus and species for which the name Tistlia consotensis gen. nov., sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain of the type species is USBA 355(T) (=JCM 15529(T)=KCTC 22406(T)).

Dethiosulfovibrio salsuginis sp. nov., an anaerobic, slightly halophilic bacterium isolated from a saline spring.

A mesophilic, strictly anaerobic, slightly halophilic bacterium, designated strain USBA 82(T), was isolated from a terrestrial saline spring in the Colombian Andes. The non-spore-forming curved rods (5-7 x 1.3 microm) with pointed or rounded ends, stained Gram-negative and were motile by means of laterally inserted flagella. The strain grew optimally at 30 degrees C (growth range 20-40 degrees C), pH 7.3 (growth range pH 5.5-8.5) and 2 % (w/v) NaCl (growth range 0.1-7 % NaCl). The strain fermented peptides, amino acids and a few organic acids, but growth was not observed on carbohydrates, alcohols or fatty acids. The strain reduced thiosulfate and sulfur to sulfide. Sulfate, sulfite, nitrate and nitrite were not used as electron acceptors. On peptone alone, acetate, succinate, propionate and traces of ethanol were formed, but in the presence of thiosulfate, acetate and succinate were formed. The G+C content of the chromosomal DNA was 52 mol% (T(m)). 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis indicated that strain USBA 82(T) was affiliated to Dethiosulfovibrio peptidovorans within the phylum Synergistetes with a similarity value of approximately 93 %. Based on the differences between the new strain and the type species of the genus Dethiosulfovibrio, we suggest that strain USBA 82(T) represents a novel species of the genus for which the name Dethiosulfovibrio salsuginis sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is USBA 82(T) (=DSM 21565(T)=KCTC 5659(T)).

Comparative metabolic profiling of paediatric ependymoma, medulloblastoma and pilocytic astrocytoma.

Brain tumours are the most common solid tumours in children and a major cause of childhood mortality. The most common paediatric brain tumours include ependymomas, cerebellar astrocytomas and medulloblastomas. These brain tumours are highly heterogeneous regarding their histology, prognosis and therapeutic response. Subtle biochemical changes can be detected in intact tissues by High-Resolution Proton Magnetic Angle Spinning Spectroscopy (HR-MAS) revealing the status of tumour microheterogeneity and metabolic alterations before they are morphologically detectable. In this study, we present metabolic profiles by HR-MAS of 20 intact tissue samples from paediatric brain tumours. Tumour types include ependymoma, medulloblastoma and pilocytic astrocytoma. The metabolic characterization of paediatric brain tumour tissue by HR-MAS spectroscopy provided differential patterns for these tumours. The metabolic composition of the tumour tissue was highly consistent with previous in vivo and ex vivo studies. Some resonances detected in this work and not previously observed by in vivo spectroscopy also show potential in determining tumour type and grade (fatty acids, phenylalanine, glutamate). Overall, this work suggests that the additional information obtained by NMR metabolic profiling applied to tissue from paediatric brain tumours may be useful for assessing tumour grade and determining optimum treatment strategies.

Impacto de una aplicación informática en la mejora de la conciliación de la medicación al alta hospitalaria / Impact of a software application to improve medication reconciliation at hospital discharge

Fundamento y objetivo. Evaluar el impacto de una aplicación informática en la mejora de la calidad de la información sobre el tratamiento domiciliario y los cambios tras la hospitalización en el informe de alta hospitalaria. Analizar la incidencia de errores y clasificarlos. Material y método. Diseño: estudio cuasi-experimental antes/después con grupo control no equivalente. Población de estudio: pacientes ingresados en plantas de especialidades médicas. Intervención: puesta en marcha de una aplicación informática integrada en la historia clínica digital. Variables: porcentaje de pacientes conciliados del total de pacientes con alta y porcentaje de pacientes con más de una discrepancia no justificada. Resultados. Se han evaluado 349 pacientes; 199 (preintervención) y 150 (postintervención). En la fase preintervención en 157 pacientes (78,8%) se había realizado el proceso de conciliación, hallándose discrepancias no justificadas en 99 (63,0%). El tipo de error más frecuente, n= 339 (78,5%), fue por prescripción incompleta. Tras la implantación, cuando se utilizó la aplicación, la conciliación se realizó en todos los pacientes. El porcentaje de pacientes con discrepancias no justificadas se redujo del 63,0% al 11,8% con el uso de la aplicación (p < 0,001). El tipo de discrepancias encontradas al usar la aplicación fue prescripción confusa, motivada por falta de familiarización de los profesionales con la nueva herramienta. Conclusiones. La utilización de una aplicación informática como apoyo al proceso de conciliación ha demostrado mejorar la calidad de la información en el informe de alta hospitalaria sobre el tratamiento del paciente, siendo necesario continuar su desarrollo como estrategia para mejorar el proceso de conciliación (AU)

Background and objective. To assess the impact of a software application to improve the quality of information concerning current patient medications and changes on the discharge report after hospitalization. To analyze the incidence of errors and to classify them. Material and method Design. Quasi-experimental pre / post study with non-equivalent control group study. Study population: Medical patients at hospital discharge. Intervention: implementation of a software application. Variables: Percentage of reconciled patient medication on discharge, and percentage of patients with more than one unjustified discrepancy. Results. A total of 349 patients were assessed; 199 (pre-intervention phase) and 150 (post-intervention phase). Before the implementation of the application in 157 patients (78.8%) medication reconciliation had been completed; finding reconciliation errors in 99 (63.0%). The most frequent type of error, 339 (78.5%), was a missing dose or administration frequency information. After implementation, all the patient prescriptions were reconciled when the software was used. The percentage of patients with unjustified discrepancies decreased from 63.0% to 11.8% with the use of the application (p < .001). The main type of discrepancy found on using the application was confusing prescription, due to the fact that the professionals were not used to using the new tool. Conclusions. The use of a software application has been shown to improve the quality of the information on patient treatment on the hospital discharge report, but it is still necessary to continue development as a strategy for improving medication reconciliation (AU)