[Assessing quality in the process of using hazardous drugs-prescription and preparation]. / Evaluación de la calidad en el proceso de utilización de fármacos peligrosos: prescripción y preparación.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the quality of cytotoxic drug prescription based on the results of an interventional pharmaceutical program and the quality of the final product based on quality-control prior to preparation. STUDY PERIOD: July 2002-March 2003. Hazardous drug prescription was evaluated through an analysis of pharmaceutical interventions during therapeutical monitoring. Depending on repercussion in patients, they were classified in three categories (treatment optimization, resource optimization or criteria unification). Data obtained from manual quality control programs prior to hazardous drug preparation were evaluated. RESULTS: Sixty-four interventions were made (9 interventions per 100 prescriptions): 55% were classified as treatment optimization, 28% as resource optimization and 17% as criteria unification. A total of 66% of the interventions focused on treatment optimization were caused by prescription errors. Ninety-seven per cent were accepted. Out of 2,074 preparations, 1,951 were evaluated (94.9%). A 5.1% of non-evaluated preparations were due to a lack of registration and 0.8% to violations in the established protocol. CONCLUSIONS: Results of the interventional Pharmaceutical program show that an assisted prescription system is necessary, not only to detect prescription errors but also to prevent them. Manual controls in different stages of the process are useful and they should be complementary to other more reliable dosification controls.

Evaluación de la calidad en el proceso de utilización de fármacos peligrosos: prescripción y preparación / Assesing quality in the process of using hazarous drugs-prescription and preparation

Objetivo: Evaluar la calidad de la prescripción de citostáticos a partir de los resultados obtenidos en el programa de intervenciones farmacéuticas y la calidad de la preparación mediante un control de calidad realizado de forma previa a la elaboración. Métodos: Periodo de estudio: julio 2002-marzo 2003. Prescripción: se evaluó mediante el análisis de las intervenciones farmacéuticas realizadas durante la monitorización terapéutica de los tratamientos con fármacos peligrosos. Para su evaluación se clasificaron en 3 categorías según la repercusión en el paciente (optimización del tratamiento, optimización de recursos, unificación de criterios). Preparación: se evaluaron los registros obtenidos en el programa de control de calidad manual, previo a la elaboración de las preparaciones de fármacos peligrosos. Resultados: Se realizaron 64 intervenciones (9 intervenciones por cada 100 prescripciones): 55% fueron para optimizar el tratamiento, 28% para optimizar recursos, 17% para unificar criterios. De las intervenciones enfocadas a optimizar el tratamiento, un 66% fueron por errores de prescripción. El 97% de las intervenciones fueron aceptadas. De las 2.074 preparaciones realizadas se evaluaron 1.951 (94,9%). De las preparaciones no evaluadas, un 5,1% fue por falta de registro y un 0,8% por falta de cumplimiento del protocolo establecido. Conclusiones: Los resultados obtenidos en el programa de intervenciones farmacéuticas evidencian la necesidad de implantar un sistema de prescripción asistida, que nos permitirá actuar no sólo en la detección de errores de prescripción, sino en su prevención. La realización de controles manuales en diferentes puntos del proceso de elaboración resulta útil y debería ser una medida complementaria a otros controles más fiables de dosificación

Objective: To evaluate the quality of cytotoxic drug prescription based on the results of an interventional pharmaceutical program and the quality of the final product based on quality-control prior to preparation. Methods: Study period: July 2002-March 2003. Hazardous drug prescription was evaluated through an analysis of pharmaceutical interventions during therapeutical monitoring. Depending on repercussion in patients, they were classified in three categories (treatment optimization, resource optimization or criteria unification). Data obtained from manual quality-control programs prior to hazardous drug preparation were evaluated. Results: Sixty-four interventions were made (9 interventions per 100 prescriptions): 55% were classified as treatment optimization, 28% as resource optimization and 17% as criteria unification. A total of 66% of the interventions focused on treatment optimization were caused by prescription errors. Ninety-seven per cent were accepted. Out of 2,074 preparations, 1,951 were evaluated (94.9%). A 5.1% of non-evaluated preparations were due to a lack of registration and 0.8% to violations in the established protocol. Conclusions: Results of the interventional pharmaceutical program show that an assisted prescription system is necessary, not only to detect prescription errors but also to prevent them. Manual controls in different stages of the process are useful and they should be complementary to other more reliable dosification controls