Errors originating in hospital and health-system outpatient pharmacies
- Collection:
- Health Policy and Services Research
- Series Title(s):
- Pennsylvania patient safety advisory
- Author(s):
- Straka, Maximilian, author Gaunt, Michael J., author Grissinger, Matthew, author
- Contributor(s):
- Pennsylvania. Patient Safety Authority, issuing body. ECRI (Organization), issuing body. Institute for Safe Medication Practices, issuing body.
- Publication:
- [Harrisburg, Pa.] : Pennsylvania Patient Safety Authority, June 2017
- Language(s):
- English
- Format:
- Text
- Subject(s):
- Medication Errors -- prevention & control Medication Errors -- statistics & numerical data Pharmacies -- statistics & numerical data Drug Prescriptions Outpatients Patient safety Humans Pennsylvania United States
- Genre(s):
- Technical Report
- Abstract:
- Although a majority of prescriptions dispensed daily in outpatient pharmacies will be correct, errors can occur. Prescriptions dispensed in an outpatient setting are usually for a 30- and occasionally a 90-day supply, which means that an error may not be intercepted for a month or longer, potentially causing patient harm. Analysts reviewed medication errors reported to the Pennsylvania Patient Safety Authority that occurred in outpatient pharmacy settings. Of the 1,044 errors, the top three event types were wrong drug (19.6%, n = 205), medication list incorrect (17.0%, n = 178), and wrong dose/over dosage (14.7%, n = 153). More than half (56.2%; n = 587) of the events reached the patient. Error-reduction strategies can be implemented in multiple stages of the prescription filling process, including during triage and order entry, production, and point of sale. Counseling patients about their medication at the point of sale can intercept errors and help patients take their medications appropriately and safely.
- Copyright:
- Reproduced with permission of the copyright holder. Further use of the material is subject to CC BY-NC-DC license. (More information)
- Extent:
- 1 online resource (1 PDF file (10 pages))
- Illustrations:
- Illustrations
- NLM Unique ID:
- 101711379 (See catalog record)
- Permanent Link:
- http://resource.nlm.nih.gov/101711379