Comparison of pharmacy technicians’ and doctors’ medication transcribing errors at hospital discharge

Abstract

ObjectivesTo compare the transcribing error rates of discharge prescriptions between pharmacy technicians and doctors in an acute hospital setting.MethodsPharmacy technicians were trained in the transcribing of discharge medications from inpatient to discharge medication charts. Prospective prescribing audits were undertaken over 5 days on eight hospital medical wards by ward pharmacists to compare pharmacy technician (on four wards) and doctor (on four wards) discharge transcribing error rates. Transcribed discharge medications were compared with the inpatient medication list by ward pharmacists to identify any transcription errors. Transcribing data for each technician and doctor, and number of items and errors, were input into SPSS and analysed using relevant statistical tests.ResultsDoctors (n=12) transcribed 77 discharge prescriptions, and 678 items with 127 errors recorded (18.7% error rate). Pharmacy technicians (n=8) transcribed 63 discharge prescriptions, and 654 items with 25 errors recorded (3.8% error rate), a significant difference between groups in error frequency (χ2(1)=58.6, p=<0.005) with a 14.9% difference between groups.ConclusionsPharmacy technicians have significantly lower discharge transcribing error rates compared with doctors. This service intervention has the potential to improve patient safety and minimise inefficiencies from correcting errors. Further work is needed to explore the views and opinions of service users of the intervention, and why technician-transcribing error rates are significantly lower than doctors.

Prevalence and causes of medication transcription errors among hospitalized patients: An observational study and survey of nurses at a faith-based hospital in Cameroon

“…Nurse's opinions of the likely causes of errors in our study are comparable to evidence from the literature, with the highest cause of MTEs attributed to illegible prescriptions as observed in earlier reports (15)(16)(17). Several strategies could be implemented to reduce the incidence of errors including; clear writing of orders that are non-confusing by prescribers, direct communication between all healthcare professionals involved in the medication use process, clari cations with prescribers for illegible prescriptions, adoption of computerized provider order entry systems, eliminating extended physician and nurses work schedule, and implementing medication reconciliation tools (10,12,13,16,(18)(19)(20).…”

Evaluating the role of primary care pharmacy technicians in antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) and acne management using TARGET resources

“…There is also research that shows pharmacy technicians have significantly lower discharge transcribing error rates compared with doctors, thus improving patient safety and minimizing inefficiencies from correcting errors. 21 International research also shows pharmacy technicians being effectively deployed in vaccination services 22 and delivering tobacco cessation interventions in community pharmacies. 23 …”