Aggregated pharmacy claims data are increasingly available within provider EHRs and could serve as an important foundation for improving medical reconciliation, according to a study published in the American Journal of Managed Care.

Using the pharmacy claims, researchers found that 77 percent of patients prescribed a new medication in a large primary care practice had at least one medication discrepancy. The rate of medication discrepancy increased with the number of prescribed medications and for those who recently had an emergency department visit. 
Aggregated pharmacy claims data available through the EHR may be an important tool to facilitate medication reconciliation in primary care, the researchers concluded. Optimizing the accessibility and function of these data should be a high priority as the primary care IT infrastructure expands.