[A retrospective study to evaluate the incidence of medication errors occurring in the prescription and transcription steps of the medication use process]. / Incidenza degli errori di terapia nelle fasi di prescrizione e trascrizione: un'indagine retrospettiva.

Medication errors occur frequently in many clinical settings. Various studies have highlighted that, together with adverse drug events, they represent one of the major causes of adverse events occurring in hospitals. The aim of this study was to perform a detailed retrospective medical record review in order to investigate the incidence of medication errors occurring in the prescription and transcription phases of the medication use process. Overall, 56 medical records were reviewed to determine the incidence of incomplete or incorrect prescriptions and incorrect transcription by nurses of the original medication order. The findings highlight the need to improve medication safety, in particular at the time of prescription and transcription of orders. The study also confirms that the retrospective review of medical records is an effective method for identifying certain types of medication errors that occur during the prescription and transcription phases. However, this type of review is complex and too costly to be used routinely, for continuous monitoring, in clinical practice.

[The impact of day surgery on primary care]. / Day Surgery Ortopedico: analisi del modello organizzativo con integrazione ospedale-territorio.

UNLABELLED: What impact does day surgery have on primary treatment? AIMS: highlighting the impact that day surgery has on the system of primary treatment. RESULTS: The study highlighted a lack in continuity of treatment due to a breakdown in communication between hospital specialists and general practitioners. This reflects the growing habit in the medical field whereby hospital surgeons take charge of surgical indications and carrying out the operation, thus focusing their attention on their own limited scope of action. On the other hand general practitioners are called upon merely to hand out prescriptions and certificates. However, it seems obvious that general practitioners should be involved in the selection phase and discharge of the patient, as occurs in countries where one-day surgery is now in widespread use. That is the only way to improve the quality of healthcare assistance and contain costs to the national health service.