Hospital prescribing errors: epidemiological assessment of predictors

R Fijn; P M L A Van den Bemt; M Chow; C J De Blaey; L T W De Jong-Van den Berg; J R B J Brouwers

doi:10.1046/j.0306-5251.2001.bjcp1558.doc.x

Hospital prescribing errors: epidemiological assessment of predictors

R Fijn
, P M L A Van den Bemt
, M Chow
, C J De Blaey
, L T W De Jong-Van den Berg
, J R B J Brouwers

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Academic › peer-review

Abstract

AIMS: To demonstrate an epidemiological method to assess predictors of prescribing errors.

METHODS: A retrospective case-control study, comparing prescriptions with and without errors.

RESULTS: Only prescriber and drug characteristics were associated with errors. Prescriber characteristics were medical specialty (e.g. orthopaedics: OR: 3.4, 95% CI 2.1, 5.4) and prescriber status (e.g. verbal orders transcribed by nursing staff: OR: 2.5, 95% CI 1.8, 3.6). Drug characteristics were dosage form (e.g. inhalation devices: OR: 4.1, 95% CI 2.6, 6.6), therapeutic area (e.g. gastrointestinal tract: OR: 1.7, 95% CI 1.2, 2.4) and continuation of preadmission treatment (Yes: OR: 1.7, 95% CI 1.3, 2.3).

CONCLUSIONS: Other hospitals could use our epidemiological framework to identify their own error predictors. Our findings suggest a focus on specific prescribers, dosage forms and therapeutic areas. We also found that prescriptions originating from general practitioners involved errors and therefore, these should be checked when patients are hospitalized.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	326-31
Number of pages	6
Journal	British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology
Volume	53
Issue number	3
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1046/j.0306-5251.2001.bjcp1558.doc.x
Publication status	Published - Mar 2002
Externally published	Yes

Keywords

Dosage Forms
Drug Prescriptions/statistics & numerical data
Hospitals, Teaching/statistics & numerical data
Humans
Logistic Models
Medication Errors/statistics & numerical data
Retrospective Studies

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@article{b9f86303098343bda2c970630638e811,

title = "Hospital prescribing errors: epidemiological assessment of predictors",

abstract = "AIMS: To demonstrate an epidemiological method to assess predictors of prescribing errors.METHODS: A retrospective case-control study, comparing prescriptions with and without errors.RESULTS: Only prescriber and drug characteristics were associated with errors. Prescriber characteristics were medical specialty (e.g. orthopaedics: OR: 3.4, 95\% CI 2.1, 5.4) and prescriber status (e.g. verbal orders transcribed by nursing staff: OR: 2.5, 95\% CI 1.8, 3.6). Drug characteristics were dosage form (e.g. inhalation devices: OR: 4.1, 95\% CI 2.6, 6.6), therapeutic area (e.g. gastrointestinal tract: OR: 1.7, 95\% CI 1.2, 2.4) and continuation of preadmission treatment (Yes: OR: 1.7, 95\% CI 1.3, 2.3).CONCLUSIONS: Other hospitals could use our epidemiological framework to identify their own error predictors. Our findings suggest a focus on specific prescribers, dosage forms and therapeutic areas. We also found that prescriptions originating from general practitioners involved errors and therefore, these should be checked when patients are hospitalized.",

keywords = "Dosage Forms, Drug Prescriptions/statistics \& numerical data, Hospitals, Teaching/statistics \& numerical data, Humans, Logistic Models, Medication Errors/statistics \& numerical data, Retrospective Studies",

author = "R Fijn and \{Van den Bemt\}, \{P M L A\} and M Chow and \{De Blaey\}, \{C J\} and \{De Jong-Van den Berg\}, \{L T W\} and Brouwers, \{J R B J\}",

year = "2002",

month = mar,

doi = "10.1046/j.0306-5251.2001.bjcp1558.doc.x",

language = "English",

volume = "53",

pages = "326--31",

journal = "British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology",

issn = "0306-5251",

publisher = "Wiley-Blackwell Publishing Ltd",

number = "3",

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TY - JOUR

T1 - Hospital prescribing errors

T2 - epidemiological assessment of predictors

AU - Fijn, R

AU - Van den Bemt, P M L A

AU - Chow, M

AU - De Blaey, C J

AU - De Jong-Van den Berg, L T W

AU - Brouwers, J R B J

PY - 2002/3

Y1 - 2002/3

N2 - AIMS: To demonstrate an epidemiological method to assess predictors of prescribing errors.METHODS: A retrospective case-control study, comparing prescriptions with and without errors.RESULTS: Only prescriber and drug characteristics were associated with errors. Prescriber characteristics were medical specialty (e.g. orthopaedics: OR: 3.4, 95% CI 2.1, 5.4) and prescriber status (e.g. verbal orders transcribed by nursing staff: OR: 2.5, 95% CI 1.8, 3.6). Drug characteristics were dosage form (e.g. inhalation devices: OR: 4.1, 95% CI 2.6, 6.6), therapeutic area (e.g. gastrointestinal tract: OR: 1.7, 95% CI 1.2, 2.4) and continuation of preadmission treatment (Yes: OR: 1.7, 95% CI 1.3, 2.3).CONCLUSIONS: Other hospitals could use our epidemiological framework to identify their own error predictors. Our findings suggest a focus on specific prescribers, dosage forms and therapeutic areas. We also found that prescriptions originating from general practitioners involved errors and therefore, these should be checked when patients are hospitalized.

AB - AIMS: To demonstrate an epidemiological method to assess predictors of prescribing errors.METHODS: A retrospective case-control study, comparing prescriptions with and without errors.RESULTS: Only prescriber and drug characteristics were associated with errors. Prescriber characteristics were medical specialty (e.g. orthopaedics: OR: 3.4, 95% CI 2.1, 5.4) and prescriber status (e.g. verbal orders transcribed by nursing staff: OR: 2.5, 95% CI 1.8, 3.6). Drug characteristics were dosage form (e.g. inhalation devices: OR: 4.1, 95% CI 2.6, 6.6), therapeutic area (e.g. gastrointestinal tract: OR: 1.7, 95% CI 1.2, 2.4) and continuation of preadmission treatment (Yes: OR: 1.7, 95% CI 1.3, 2.3).CONCLUSIONS: Other hospitals could use our epidemiological framework to identify their own error predictors. Our findings suggest a focus on specific prescribers, dosage forms and therapeutic areas. We also found that prescriptions originating from general practitioners involved errors and therefore, these should be checked when patients are hospitalized.

KW - Dosage Forms

KW - Drug Prescriptions/statistics & numerical data

KW - Hospitals, Teaching/statistics & numerical data

KW - Humans

KW - Logistic Models

KW - Medication Errors/statistics & numerical data

KW - Retrospective Studies

U2 - 10.1046/j.0306-5251.2001.bjcp1558.doc.x

DO - 10.1046/j.0306-5251.2001.bjcp1558.doc.x

M3 - Article

C2 - 11874397

SN - 0306-5251

VL - 53

SP - 326

EP - 331

JO - British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology

JF - British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology

IS - 3

ER -

Hospital prescribing errors: epidemiological assessment of predictors

Abstract

Keywords

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