Electronic prescribing reduces prescribing error in public hospitals.

AIMS AND
OBJECTIVES: To examine the incidence of prescribing errors in a main public hospital in Pakistan and to assess the impact of introducing electronic prescribing system on the reduction of their incidence.
BACKGROUND: Medication errors are persistent in today's healthcare system. The impact of electronic prescribing on reducing errors has not been tested in developing world.
DESIGN: Prospective review of medication and discharge medication charts before and after the introduction of an electronic inpatient record and prescribing system.
METHODS: Inpatient records (n = 3300) and 1100 discharge medication sheets were reviewed for prescribing errors before and after the installation of electronic prescribing system in 11 wards.
RESULTS: Medications (13,328 and 14,064) were prescribed for inpatients, among which 3008 and 1147 prescribing errors were identified, giving an overall error rate of 22·6% and 8·2% throughout paper-based and electronic prescribing, respectively. Medications (2480 and 2790) were prescribed for discharge patients, among which 418 and 123 errors were detected, giving an overall error rate of 16·9% and 4·4% during paper-based and electronic prescribing, respectively.
CONCLUSION: Electronic prescribing has a significant effect on the reduction of prescribing errors. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE: Prescribing errors are commonplace in Pakistan public hospitals. The study evaluated the impact of introducing electronic inpatient records and electronic prescribing in the reduction of prescribing errors in a public hospital in Pakistan.