Hospital prescribing errors: epidemiological assessment of predictors

• Published in: British journal of clinical pharmacology Vol. 53; no. 3; pp. 326 - 331
• Main Authors: Fijn, R., Van den Bemt, P. M. L. A., Chow, M, De Blaey, C. J., De Jong‐Van den Berg, L. T. W., Brouwers, J. R. B. J.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford, UK Blackwell Science, Ltd 01.03.2002; Blackwell Science; Blackwell Science Inc
• Subjects: Biological and medical sciences; Dosage Forms; Drug Prescriptions - statistics & numerical data; General pharmacology; hospital prescribing errors; Hospitals, Teaching - statistics & numerical data; Humans; Logistic Models; Medical sciences; Medication Errors - statistics & numerical data; Miscellaneous; pharmacoepidemiology; Pharmacology. Drug treatments; predictors; Retrospective Studies; Short Reports; Human error; Human; Medical prescription; Toxicity; Prediction; Hospital; Epidemiology
• ISSN: 0306-5251; 1365-2125
• DOI: 10.1046/j.0306-5251.2001.bjcp1558.doc.x

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.