Detection and management of medication errors in internal wards of a teaching hospital by clinical pharmacists

ABSTRACT

Any suboptimum treatment in the management of patients can lead to medication errors [MEs] that may increase morbidity and mortality in hospitalized individuals. By establishing well-designed patient care activities within the managed care setting, clinical pharmacists can cooperate with other health care professionals to provide quality care and maximize safety. The aim of this study was to evaluate the frequency and prevention of MEs by clinical pharmacists. This was a cross-sectional interventional study conducted in internal wards of a teaching hospital during a two-month period. During this period, patient records, and physician orders were reviewed by clinical pharmacists. Any prescription error identified was documented. Incorrect drug selection, dose, dosage form, frequency, or route of administration all were considered as medication errors. Then, the clinical pharmacist discuss about findings with the clinical fellows to change faulty orders. The frequency and types of MEs in different wards that were detected and prevented by clinical pharmacists was documented. During the study period, in 132 patients, 262 errors were detected [1.98 per each]. Wrong frequency 71 [27%], forget to order 37 [14.1%], wrong selection 33 [12.5%], drug interactions 26 [9.9%], forget to discontinue 25 [9.5%] and inappropriate dose adjustment in renal impairment 25 [9.5%] were the most types of errors. Cardiovascular medications were the class with the highest detected errors [31.6%] followed by gastrointestinal agents [15.6%]. Medication errors are common problems in medical wards that their frequency can be restricted by the intervention of clinical pharmacists