Dispensing Errors at In-patient Pharmacy Service in BMA Medical College and Vajira Hospital

Abstract

Dispensing Errors at In-patient Pharmacy Service in BMA Medical College and Vajira Hospital

Nantiya    Uttamayothin    BSc  (Pharm)

Department of Pharmacy, BMA Medical College and Vajira Hospital

Objective: To determine the dispensing errors at in-patient pharmacy service of BMA Medical College and Vajira  Hospital.

Study design: Descriptive research.

Setting: In-patient service, Department of Pharmacy, BMA Medical College and Vajira Hospital.

Subjects: A total of 219,755 prescriptions with 630,224 medicinal items during October 2004 to September 2005 were selected.

Methods: Dispensing errors, prescribing errors and pre dispensing errors were collected and analyzed.

Main outcome measures: Percentage of dispensing errors, prescribing errors and pre dispensing errors.

Results: Various errors were found in this study. Prescribing errors composed of process-related prescribing errors 6,125 times (0.028% of prescription) and physician-related prescribing errors 4,703 times (0.021% of prescription). Pre dispensing errors occurred in 868 times (0.14% of medicinal items) and dispensing errors occurred in 72 times (0.033% of prescription). The three most common dispensing errors were wrong item dispensing, incorrect dosage and inaccurate amounts. All dispensing errors did not harm the patients.

Conclusion: Many guidelines had been established to prevent dispensing-related error in pharmacy services. However, these errors were still high. Fortunately, there was no harm in this study. Then, any new preventive strategies should be created to decrease these problems.

Key words: dispensing errors, prescribing errors, pre dispensing errors

Vajira Med J 2006 ; 50 : 9 - 14