TY - JOUR
T1 - The effect of computer-assisted prescription writing on emergency department prescription errors
AU - Bizovi, Kenneth E.
AU - Beckley, Brandon E.
AU - McDade, Michelle C.
AU - Adams, Annette L.
AU - Lowe, Robert A.
AU - Zechnich, Andrew D.
AU - Hedges, Jerris R.
PY - 2002/11/1
Y1 - 2002/11/1
N2 - Objective: To determine whether computer-assisted prescription writing reduces the frequency of prescription errors in the emergency department (ED). Methods: A pre-post retrospective analysis was used to compare errors between handwritten (HW) and computer-assisted (CA) ED prescriptions. Prescriptions were reviewed for pharmacist clarifications. A clarification was defined as an error if missing information, incorrect information, incorrect dose, non-formulary medication, or illegibility was the reason for clarification. The HW and CA error rates were compared using odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs). Results: During the pre-intervention period, there were 7,036 patient visits with 2,326 HW ED prescriptions filled for 1,459 patients. There were 91 clarifications, with a rate of 3.9%. There were 54 HW errors, for an error rate of 2.3%. During the post-intervention period, there were 7,845 patient visits with 1,594 CA prescriptions filled for 1,056 patients. There were 13 clarifications, with a clarification rate of 0.8%, and 11 errors, for a CA error rate of 0.7%. The CA prescriptions were substantially less likely to contain an error [OR 0.31 (95% CI = 0.10 to 0.36)] or to require pharmacist clarification [OR 0.19 (95% CI = 0.10 to 0.36)] than were the HW prescriptions. Conclusions: Computer-assisted prescriptions were more than three times less likely to contain errors and five times less likely to require pharmacist clarification than handwritten prescriptions.
AB - Objective: To determine whether computer-assisted prescription writing reduces the frequency of prescription errors in the emergency department (ED). Methods: A pre-post retrospective analysis was used to compare errors between handwritten (HW) and computer-assisted (CA) ED prescriptions. Prescriptions were reviewed for pharmacist clarifications. A clarification was defined as an error if missing information, incorrect information, incorrect dose, non-formulary medication, or illegibility was the reason for clarification. The HW and CA error rates were compared using odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs). Results: During the pre-intervention period, there were 7,036 patient visits with 2,326 HW ED prescriptions filled for 1,459 patients. There were 91 clarifications, with a rate of 3.9%. There were 54 HW errors, for an error rate of 2.3%. During the post-intervention period, there were 7,845 patient visits with 1,594 CA prescriptions filled for 1,056 patients. There were 13 clarifications, with a clarification rate of 0.8%, and 11 errors, for a CA error rate of 0.7%. The CA prescriptions were substantially less likely to contain an error [OR 0.31 (95% CI = 0.10 to 0.36)] or to require pharmacist clarification [OR 0.19 (95% CI = 0.10 to 0.36)] than were the HW prescriptions. Conclusions: Computer-assisted prescriptions were more than three times less likely to contain errors and five times less likely to require pharmacist clarification than handwritten prescriptions.
KW - Computer-assisted medication systems
KW - Emergency medicine
KW - Human drug therapy
KW - Medication errors
KW - Prescription drugs
KW - Prevention and control
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=0036844092&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=0036844092&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1197/aemj.9.11.1168
DO - 10.1197/aemj.9.11.1168
M3 - Article
C2 - 12414466
AN - SCOPUS:0036844092
SN - 1069-6563
VL - 9
SP - 1168
EP - 1175
JO - Academic Emergency Medicine
JF - Academic Emergency Medicine
IS - 11
ER -