The 5 Moments for Medication Safety

The 5 Moments for Medication Safety are the key moments where action by the patient or caregiver can greatly reduce the risk of harm associated with the use of their medication/s. Each moment includes 5 critical questions. Some are self-reflective for the patient and some require support from a health professional to be answered and reflected upon correctly.

For patients, families and caregivers

Pay attention to these 5 MOMENTS when using medication/s. ASK these QUESTIONS and FIND the ANSWERS with the help of a health care professional whenever you:

• visit a doctor, nurse, pharmacist or dentist
• visit a primary health care facility or pharmacy
• are admitted to and discharged from a health care facility
• are referred to another health care facility
• are transferred to another health care facility
• receive treatment and care at home.

For health professionals

Promote patient engagement by introducing this tool to your patients, their families and caregivers and supporting them in answering the questions.

5 MOMENTS

1. Starting a medication
2. Taking my medication
3. Adding a medication
4. Reviewing my medication
5. Stopping my medication

Starting a medication

• What is the name of this medication and what is it for?
• What are the risks and possible side-effects?
• Is there another way of treating my condition?
• Have I told my health professional about my allergies and other health conditions?
• How should I store this medication?

Taking my medication

• When should I take this medication and how much should I take each time?
• How should I take the medication?
• Is there anything related to food and drink that I should know while taking this medication?
• What should I do if I miss a dose of this medication?
• What should I do if I have side-effects?

Adding a medication

• Do I really need any other medication?
• Have I told my health professional about the medications I am already taking?
• Can this medication interact with my other medications?
• What should I do if I suspect an interaction?
• Will I be able to manage multiple medications correctly?

Reviewing my medication

• Do I keep a list of all my medications?
• How long should I take each medication?
• Am I taking any medications I no longer need?
• Does a health professional check my medications regularly?
• How often should my medications be reviewed?

Stopping my medication

• When should I stop each medication?
• Should any of my medications not be stopped suddenly?
• What should I do if I run out of medication?
• If I have to stop my medication due to an unwanted effect, where should I report this?
• What should I do with leftover or expired medications?