The Medication Discrepancy Tool (MDT®) is a new tool for identifying and characterizing medication discrepancies that arise when patients are making the transition between sites of care. Discrepancies can be identified at either the patient level or the practitioner/health system level. Specific MDT® items are designed to be actionable and ideally to recognize problems before patients experience harm. It was found that clinicians using the MDT® were able to capture a wide range of transition-related medication problems.

The MDT® was developed to fill the gap in the identification and categorization of transition-related medication problems, to facilitate resolution of these problems by describing appropriate action steps at either the patient or system level, and to lead to a single reconciled list of medications, irrespective of the number of prescribers involved. It is expected to fill an important gap in national efforts to promote patient safety.

Tool Kit Components

  • The MDT®


  • Smith JD, Coleman EA, Min S. Identifying Post-Acute Medication Discrepancies in Community Dwelling Older Adults: A New Tool. American Journal of Geriatric Pharmacotherapy. 2004;2(2):141-148. Abstract


  • Coleman EA, Smith JD, Raha D, Min SJ. Post-Hospital Medication Discrepancies: Prevalence, Types and Contributing Factors. Arch of Int Med 2005;165(16)1842-1847. Abstract   Press Release



The Care Transitions Program® is made possible in part by the generous support of The John A. Hartford Foundation.

The Care Transitions Program® is based in the Division of Health Care Policy and Research at the
University of Colorado Denver, School of Medicine.

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