An IPS Medication entry describes a medication statement, that is a substance administration that has actually occurred (e.g., pills ingested or injections given) or are intended to occur (e.g., "take 2 tablets twice a day for the next 10 days"). Medication activities in "INT" mood are reflections of what a clinician intends a patient to be taking. For example, a clinician may intend that a patient to be administered Lisinopril 20 mg PO for blood pressure control. If what was actually administered was Lisinopril 10 mg., then the Medication activities in the "EVN" mood would reflect actual use.

The source of this information can be the patient, significant other (such as a family member or spouse), or a clinician. A common scenario where this information is captured is during the history taking process during a patient visit or stay, but it could be derived from the medications information recorded into a GP's EHR-system, in form of prescribed medication, or administration statements.

The medication information may come from sources such as the patient's memory, from a prescription bottle, or from a list of medications the patient, clinician or other party maintains.

A medication statement is usually less specific than an a prescription or a medication administration record.  

This entry is composed by a main substanceAdministration act and a subordinate substanceAdministration act, unless it is asserted that there are no medications data. 

The first conveys information as the product, the period of administration and the route of administration; the latter is used to provide dosage information as the frequency of intakes or the amount of the medication given.