Best Practice #21 FAQ

Best Practice #21: Implement strategies to prevent medication errors at transitions in the continuum of care.

1. Question: Are pharmacy technicians included as practitioners to obtain medication histories?

Answer: Yes, ISMP has seen successful medication reconciliation processes that involve the use of dedicated pharmacy technicians for collection of patients' medication histories. 

2. Question: Does ISMP recommend pharmacy technicians ensure medication and doses ordered are correct therapy for that patient given their current state of health?

Answer: No, ISMP would not recommend a pharmacy technician to ensure the appropriateness of medications and doses based on a patient’s current state of health. We see this function being completed by a pharmacist, followed by the reconciliation completed and documented by a provider.  

^{Rev. 1/10/2024}