Safer Medicines at Transitions of Care

In progress

Background

Transitions of care occur when a person moves from one care provider to another. It is a high-risk period for miscommunication and preventable medicine errors, that can lead to significant harm. Over 50% of medicine errors occur at transitions of care¹. Patients discharged with incomplete medicines information are 2.3 times more likely to be readmitted². 

Medicine-related hospital admissions account for 2-4% of all admissions in Australia, approximately 250,000 annually³. We will partner with health services to reduce patient harm and unplanned to optimise medicines management during transitions of care.

We will partner with health services to reduce patient harm and unplanned re-admissions to optimise medicines management during transitions of care.

Our goal

To reduce 30-day unplanned medicine-related hospital re-admissions in Victoria by improving medicines management practices that empower consumers to safely transition from hospital to home. 

Apply to participate

Applications are open for healthcare services to participate in the Safer Medicines at Transitions of Care Collaborative.

Apply

Project updates

References

¹ Medication reconciliation. Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care. Available from: Medication reconciliation | Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care

² Draft Medication Management at Transitions of Care Stewardship Framework. Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care. Available from: Medication Management at Transitions of Care Stewardship Framework (safetyandquality.gov.au)

³ Lim R, Ellett LMK, Semple S, Roughead EE. The Extent of Medication-Related Hospital Admissions in Australia: A Review from 1988 to 2021. Drug Saf. 2022 Mar;45(3):249-257. Available from: The Extent of Medication-Related Hospital Admissions in Australia: A Review from 1988 to 2021 - PubMed (nih.gov)