The patient as source: medication interrogation during the autoanamnesis
The patient as source: medication interrogation during the autoanamnesis
Hospitals and clinics can collect information about patients' medication use in several ways - through pharmacies (whether or not accessed through the LSP) - or through the referral from the primary care physician. Yet this information often still needs to be verified with the patient himself.
Wendy Enthoven - Medical Head (GP, np) at ConsultAssistent explains how the patient can play an important role in this process:
When patients report their medication use in advance through an autoanamnesis, it offers several advantages:
✅ Current information - Patients indicate their current medications, including those they have recently started or just stopped, something that is not always visible (yet) in the available systems.
✅ Understanding use and adherence - By asking what patients actually use, you get a realistic picture. Consider the use of inhalation medication or painkillers, for example: practice sometimes deviates from the prescription.
✅ Self-care medication-Many patients use drugs they buy themselves at the drugstore, such as painkillers, antacids or supplements. These are not always registered, but they can affect the treatment or cause interactions. So it is important to have that information included as well.
✅ Peace of mind and completeness-Because patients complete the autoanamnesis at home in peace, they have time to look up medications with the boxes or weekly roll attached. This increases the completeness and accuracy of the information.
✅ Better communication and engagement - Asking about medication use shows that we see the patient as a partner in the care process. It strengthens the relationship as well as trust.
A carefully extracted autoanamnesis is not a substitute for systems like the LSP, but a valuable addition. After all, who knows better what is taken on a daily basis than the patient himself?
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