With a personal medication record (PMR) a patient is able to keep track of all prescription medications (regardless of the prescriber) and other over-the-counter products (non-prescription drugs, herbals, vitamins). While there are various initiatives ongoing, standards and uniformity are needed to ensure that PMRs are consumer-friendly, useful and easily incorporated into the health care experience. After reviewing some current PMR initiatives, an expert panel developed inclusion criteria for all PMRs.  Based on this list of criteria, two PMR templates were developed and reviewed by coalition partners.  The coalition plans for both templates to be subject to formal consumer testing and evaluation.   These templates have been circulated to a number of different organizations that are currently using or considering using the PMR with their constituencies. 

The Coalition will now work on increasing dissemination of the personal medication record (PMR) data elements developed by SOS Rx, and further examine the medication reconciliation process.  We hope to explore how use of a PMR or other tools (such as a personal health record) can help patients avoid medication errors.  We intend to focus dissemination of the PMR to high-risk populations – such as those who manage multiple medications, multiple chronic conditions, and low health literacy.   With the assistance of Coalition partners, we hope to disseminate the PMR through less conventional settings such as churches and barber shops, as well as standard settings such as pharmacies and medical offices.  This enhanced PMR will include key questions to ask your health care provider, as well as information on medication therapy management.

In addition to dissemination, we plan to examine ways in which the PMR or other tools can be utilized in the broader medication reconciliation process.  By integrating use of a medication management tool into likely scenarios in which medication errors may occur, we hope to promote consumer action to avoid errors.  As the central figure in the care process, we expect to emphasize the consumer’s role and accountability.  As a starting point, we plan to conduct focus groups with patient and caregivers to determine how they currently manage various medication reconciliation scenarios, such as change in care setting or physician.