Each quarter, the ZGT Academy highlights a researcher who has published a scientific article by presenting a publication award. Recently, the publication prize for quarter Q3-2024 was awarded to Willemien Kruik-Kollöffel. From ZGT Pharmacy, this study was conducted in collaboration with the Center for Healthcare Operations Improvement and Research (CHOIR) group. Also see: https://www.zgt.nl/aandoening-en-behandeling/onze-specialismen/wetenschap/nieuws/publicatieprijs-willemien-kruik-kolloffel/
Article:
W. J. Kruik‐Kollöffel, G. A. W. Moltman, M. D. Wu, A. Braaksma, F. Karapinar, R. J. Boucherie,
Optimisation of medication reconciliation using queueing theory: a computer experiment,
International Journal of Clinical Pharmacy (2024) 46:881–888 https://doi.org/10.1007/s11096-024-01722-0
This study investigated whether queuing theory can be used to compare interventions that can optimize the process of medication verification in hospitals. Medication verification is important for continuity of care, but at discharge, it is often difficult to complete in a timely manner. Patients then leave the hospital without a discharge discussion about medication. In the computer experiment, several possible interventions could be tested, such as replacing face-to-face conversations with phone calls, assigning pharmacy assistants to a different workplace, or adjusting their working hours. The results showed that the number of patients discharged without completed medication verification decreased from 37.2% to about 16% when pharmacy assistants would start their shifts 2 hours earlier and an additional pharmacy assistant was assigned from another workstation for the medication verification process at discharge. The study concluded that queuing theory can help identify the most effective intervention to reduce the number of patients leaving the hospital without a completed medication verification.
