What is a potential consequence of poor medication reconciliation?

Poor medication reconciliation can lead to increased risk of medication errors and adverse events. This process involves ensuring that a patient's medication list is accurate and complete during transitions in care, such as hospital admission or discharge. If discrepancies are not addressed, patients may end up taking incorrect dosages, receiving medications they are allergic to, or having dangerous drug interactions. These errors can result in severe consequences, including hospitalization, worsening health conditions, or even mortality. Therefore, effective medication reconciliation is crucial in minimizing these risks and promoting patient safety.

The other options, while beneficial aspects of proper medication management, do not accurately reflect the consequences of poor reconciliation. For instance, decreased medication costs could result from effective management rather than poor reconciling. Similarly, enhanced patient satisfaction and improvements in health outcomes are more likely to stem from thorough medication reconciliation rather than its neglect.