A new Middletown Regional Hospital (MRH) initiative aims to protect you from potential medication errors and harmful drug interactions no matter where you are. MRH's Medication Reconciliation program officially rolled out January 3. Its goal is to encourage you to carry a clean, accurate list of your medications wherever you go, thereby minimizing the possibility of medication errors and harmful drug interactions.

Every day Americans use a variety of prescription and over-the-counter medications and dietary supplements. These medications, no matter how harmless they may seem, can be harmful when taken in the wrong combination. When hospitals and physicians have up-to-date medication lists, lives can be saved by catching potential problems before they occur.

"Obtaining accurate lists of patients' medications is paramount to the success of our program," said MRH Director of Nursing Excellence Dee Dee Mosko, RN. "We're encouraging people to keep accurate lists of their home medications and to carry those lists with them when they come to the hospital or go to their doctors' offices. The lists should be updated when new medications are added or deleted."

MRH is promoting use of the home medications card through displays in area doctors' offices, and at primary entrances to the hospital. The display encourages you to list all your prescriptions, over-the-counter medications and dietary supplements on a free card. The card can be carried in a wallet and should be presented at all medical visits. Cards can be obtained from the display or by calling the MRH Marketing Department at (513) 420-5219.

Source: MRH Website