Is there an effect of modified documentation on the administration of medications to involuntary patients

The effects of modification of documentation on the administration of psych otropic medication to involuntary patients in hospital were investigated. M ethods: The charts of 414 inpatients on the acut-ward were reviewed two mon ths before and two months after a new form for documentation of rationales for medication administration to involuntary patients was instituted. A fol low-up was carried out for a two-month period a year later. Results: The pe rcentage of patients who received medication involuntarily, 70 % of whom we re schizophrenic, fell by over half, from 12 % to 5 %, after additional sta ndardized documentation for the use of such medications was instituted. The number of medications administered to involuntary patients fell from 80 to 21, a reduction of 74 %. The effects were stable over the course of one ye ar. Conclusions: Modification of documentation seems to reduce the use of m edication with involuntary patients.