I’ve spent a lot of time addressing the accuracy of the initial medication list in the context of what patients (or their family or friends) remember. I certainly cannot argue about the importance of ensuring that medication orders, written anew for each setting of the hospital, are scrupulously checked to verify that a medication has [...]

Few would dispute the fact that many patients do not fill their prescriptions and many do not take medications as prescribed. Indeed, I have always suspected that most patients, when asked about their current medications, remember the drugs they actually take, or at least what problem those drugs are intended to treat, but generally do [...]

I hate to be a spoiler, especially amidst all the deafening applause, but I must ask: Just how reasonable is it to expect that most, or even many, patients (or their friends and family) will produce an updated and accurate medication form (much less schlep it around with them)?

One didn’t have to watch this year’s presidential address to know that this motherhood-and-apple-pie line probably drew enthusiastic applause from both sides of the aisle. Who doesn’t want to reduce costs and medical errors? Who doesn’t want better information technology? Who wouldn’t ardently support a nonbinding resolution to improve the quality of health care, casting [...]

The future looks bright for individuals living with chronic hepatitis B. Only a decade ago there were no treatment options. Although there is still no complete cure for hepatitis B, there are 7 approved drugs for adults (2 for children) and many promising new drugs in development. Current treatments seem to be most effective in [...]