Impact of a standard medication chart on prescribing errors: a before-and-after audit

Abstract

Introduction of a standard revised medication chart significantly reduced the frequency of prescribing errors, improved ADR documentation and decreased the potential risks associated with warfarin management. The standard chart has enabled uniform training in medicine management.

From the Editor

“…Over a decade, workers in Brisbane introduced a revised medication chart, audited its before-and-after use in five hospital sites in Queensland (demonstrating a significant fall in prescribing errors) and last year published their analysis of the implementation of their National Inpatient Medication Chart in 22 hospitals nationwide; the prescribing error rate fell by a third. 10,11 While acknowledging a Hawthorn effect -whereby the process of education and implementation may have played a role in reducing error rates in this before-and-after study -the authors comment that the standard format facilitates the education of prescribers, and…”

Standardising practices through form design and education improves insulin management

“…Standardisation and the resultant uniformity of practice have been shown locally to reduce prescribing and administration errors, 10 and a pilot study involving insulin administration resulted in a reduction of the frequency of hypoglycaemia. 11 The primary aim of this medication initiative was to improve the safety of insulin prescribing and administration in Queensland public hospitals without adversely affecting blood glucose control. Common errors related to insulin that have previously been documented are listed in Box 1.…”

Fatal prescription charts

“…But multiple designs of cockpits or prescription charts can lead to unnecessary errors, however good the background knowledge is. Though the NHS Chief Pharmacist has not supported UK standardization, research from Australia showed benefits [2]. The variability of the available systems with a lack of minimum standards is a problem.…”