Olufunmilola K Odukoya1, Jamie A Stone2, Michelle A Chui2. 1. School of Pharmacy, Department of Pharmacy and Therapeutics, University of Pittsburgh, 3501 Terrace St, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, USA. Electronic address: oodukoya@pitt.edu. 2. School of Pharmacy, Social and Administrative Sciences Division, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: The use of e-prescribing is increasing annually, with over 788 million e-prescriptions received in US pharmacies in 2012. Approximately 9% of e-prescriptions have medication errors. OBJECTIVE: To describe the process used by community pharmacy staff to detect, explain, and correct e-prescription errors. METHODS: The error recovery conceptual framework was employed for data collection and analysis. 13 pharmacists and 14 technicians from five community pharmacies in Wisconsin participated in the study. A combination of data collection methods were utilized, including direct observations, interviews, and focus groups. The transcription and content analysis of recordings were guided by the three-step error recovery model. RESULTS: Most of the e-prescription errors were detected during the entering of information into the pharmacy system. These errors were detected by both pharmacists and technicians using a variety of strategies which included: (1) performing double checks of e-prescription information; (2) printing the e-prescription to paper and confirming the information on the computer screen with information from the paper printout; and (3) using colored pens to highlight important information. Strategies used for explaining errors included: (1) careful review of patient's medication history; (2) pharmacist consultation with patients; (3) consultation with another pharmacy team member; and (4) use of online resources. In order to correct e-prescription errors, participants made educated guesses of the prescriber's intent or contacted the prescriber via telephone or fax. When e-prescription errors were encountered in the community pharmacies, the primary goal of participants was to get the order right for patients by verifying the prescriber's intent. CONCLUSION: Pharmacists and technicians play an important role in preventing e-prescription errors through the detection of errors and the verification of prescribers' intent. Future studies are needed to examine factors that facilitate or hinder recovery from e-prescription errors.
BACKGROUND: The use of e-prescribing is increasing annually, with over 788 million e-prescriptions received in US pharmacies in 2012. Approximately 9% of e-prescriptions have medication errors. OBJECTIVE: To describe the process used by community pharmacy staff to detect, explain, and correct e-prescription errors. METHODS: The error recovery conceptual framework was employed for data collection and analysis. 13 pharmacists and 14 technicians from five community pharmacies in Wisconsin participated in the study. A combination of data collection methods were utilized, including direct observations, interviews, and focus groups. The transcription and content analysis of recordings were guided by the three-step error recovery model. RESULTS: Most of the e-prescription errors were detected during the entering of information into the pharmacy system. These errors were detected by both pharmacists and technicians using a variety of strategies which included: (1) performing double checks of e-prescription information; (2) printing the e-prescription to paper and confirming the information on the computer screen with information from the paper printout; and (3) using colored pens to highlight important information. Strategies used for explaining errors included: (1) careful review of patient's medication history; (2) pharmacist consultation with patients; (3) consultation with another pharmacy team member; and (4) use of online resources. In order to correct e-prescription errors, participants made educated guesses of the prescriber's intent or contacted the prescriber via telephone or fax. When e-prescription errors were encountered in the community pharmacies, the primary goal of participants was to get the order right for patients by verifying the prescriber's intent. CONCLUSION: Pharmacists and technicians play an important role in preventing e-prescription errors through the detection of errors and the verification of prescribers' intent. Future studies are needed to examine factors that facilitate or hinder recovery from e-prescription errors.
Authors: Adrienne M Gilligan; Kimberly Miller; Adam Mohney; Courtney Montenegro; Jacob Schwarz; Terri L Warholak Journal: Res Social Adm Pharm Date: 2012-01-20
Authors: Pascale Carayon; Tosha B Wetterneck; Randi Cartmill; Mary Ann Blosky; Roger Brown; Robert Kim; Sandeep Kukreja; Mark Johnson; Bonnie Paris; Kenneth E Wood; James Walker Journal: BMJ Qual Saf Date: 2013-09-19 Impact factor: 7.035
Authors: Miriam A Mobley Smith; Cynthia J Boyle; Jan M Keresztes; Janet Liles; Linda Garrelts MacLean; Everett B McAllister; Janet Silvester; Nancy T Williams; Lynette R Bradley-Baker Journal: Am J Pharm Educ Date: 2014-12-15 Impact factor: 2.047
Authors: Corey A Lester; Allen J Flynn; Vincent D Marshall; Scott Rochowiak; James P Bagian Journal: J Am Med Inform Assoc Date: 2022-10-07 Impact factor: 7.942
Authors: Corey A Lester; Allen J Flynn; Vincent D Marshall; Scott Rochowiak; Brigid Rowell; James P Bagian Journal: J Am Med Inform Assoc Date: 2022-08-16 Impact factor: 7.942