[Optimisation of the prescription of medication for patients undergoing elective surgery]. / Optimización del circuito de prescripción de medicamentos en pacientes con cirugía electiva.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: To draw up a document in which patients can note down their residential treatment and determine its usefulness. The level of compliance and assessment of the document can be quantified by the healthcare personnel. METHOD: Initially the medical prescription process was analysed in the preoperative stage. Its usefulness was later evaluated, analysing the percentage of patients who could benefit from it, through a questionnaire for the healthcare personnel. RESULTS: A residential medication document was drawn up and included in the documentation process at the preoperative stage. From a sample of 350 patients, 76.0 % took medication at home and 81.2 % of those used the document. The health personnel rated its usefulness as 4.51 and the safety of it at 4.38 in a scale of 1 to 5. The time saved was valued at 4.37; 4 being a saving of between 0 and 5 minutes, and 5 being a saving of between 5 and 10 minutes. DISCUSSION: The home medication document could overcome the problem of knowing exactly the home medication itself, and this could be the first step in therapeutic conciliation. According to the assessment by the healthcare personnel, it improves the usefulness and the efficiency of the process. According to our data, the time saved by the medical staff and nursing personnel fluctuates between 93-310 and 122-339 hours per year, respectively. Computerised, up-to-date clinical records accessed by both primary and specialised care, could further optimise the prescription process of medication in the perioperative stages.