Inpatient prescribing errors and pharmacist intervention at a teaching hospital in Saudi Arabia

Background

Prescribing errors phenomena are very common within health care practice. These errors could result in adverse events and harm to patients. Pharmacist has an identified role in minimizing and preventing such errors.

Objectives

To detect the incidence of prescribing errors for hospitalized patient, to evaluate the clinical impact of pharmacist intervention on the detection of these errors, and to propose a program to overcome this problem in a teaching hospital.

Methods

For one month period starting November until December 2009, the inpatient medication charts and orders were identified and rectified by ward and practicing pharmacists within inpatient pharmacy services in a teaching hospital at King Khalid University Hospital (KKUH) at King Saud University, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia on routine daily activities. Data were collected and evaluated. The causes of this problem were identified.

Results

Approximately 113 (7.1%) prescribing errors were detected during the study period out of 1580 medication orders. Wrong strength and wrong administration frequency of the prescribed drug were the most errors encountered in the study, which were 35%, and 23%, respectively. Other errors such as wrong patient, wrong drug, and wrong dose were also encountered. Lack of knowledge of prescribing skill was the main cause of such errors.

Conclusion

Prescribing errors in teaching hospital within inpatient pharmacy services were noticed. The applied method in this project might be implemented as part of pharmacy quality assurance program for ongoing detection and monitoring of such errors. Technology in prescribing process will support the practitioner to reduce the incidence of these errors. Forcing ongoing professional communication and education within the medical team about prescribing errors now appear warranted.