| Literature DB >> 25058321 |
Ka-Chun Cheung1, Patricia M L A van den Bemt2, Marcel L Bouvy3, Michel Wensing4, Peter A G M De Smet5.
Abstract
INTRODUCTION: Automated dose dispensing (ADD) is being introduced in several countries and the use of this technology is expected to increase as a growing number of elderly people need to manage their medication at home. ADD aims to improve medication safety and treatment adherence, but it may introduce new safety issues. This descriptive study provides insight into the nature and consequences of medication incidents related to ADD, as reported by healthcare professionals in community pharmacies and hospitals.Entities:
Mesh:
Substances:
Year: 2014 PMID: 25058321 PMCID: PMC4109935 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0101686
Source DB: PubMed Journal: PLoS One ISSN: 1932-6203 Impact factor: 3.240
Figure 1.SchemeScheme of the ADD process.
Figure 2Flowchart of analysis medication incident reports.
Distribution of incidents occurring in the phases of medication process.
| Phase of medication process | Community pharmacies n (%) N = 227 | Hospitals n (%) N = 41 |
| Prescribing | 4 (2) | 3 (7) |
| Entering into pharmacy information system | ||
| - entering into system and applying clinical decision support | 47 (20.7) | 7 (17.1) |
| - processing ADD system | 49 (21.6) | 3 (7) |
| - sending ADD file to ADD supplier | 3 (1) | - |
| Filling of ADD bag | 43 (18.9) | 11 (26.8) |
| Adjustment of ADD bag | 19 (8.4) | - |
| Dispensing | 23 (10.1) | 1 (2) |
| Administration | 4 (2) | 4 (10) |
| Unknown | 35 (15.4) | 12 (29.3) |
*additional phase of medication process for incidents concerning ADD.
Nature of incident from the healthcare provider's perspective.
| Nature of incident | Community pharmacies n (%) N = 227 | Hospitals n (%) N = 41 |
| Fail to retrieve information about the patient | 8 (3.5) | 3 (7) |
| Selecting wrong patient | 14 (6.2) | - |
| Choosing wrong medicine: | ||
| - erroneous exchange | 3 (1) | - |
| - strength | 5 (2) | 1 (2) |
| - formulation | 3 (1) | 1 (2) |
| Choosing wrong dose / frequency | 13 (5.7) | 2 (5) |
| Choosing wrong administration time | 8 (3.5) | - |
| Choosing wrong start / end date | 10 (4.4) | - |
| Choosing wrong duration / quantity | 1 (0) | - |
| Entering medicine twice | 1 (0) | 1 (2) |
| Entering wrong information on administration list | 5 (2) | - |
| Prescription was/is not processed | 9 (4.0) | 2 (5) |
| No or wrong file sent to ADD supplier | 3 (1) | - |
| Wrong processing order in system | 19 (8.4) | 2 (5) |
| Wrong response to alert | 2 (1) | - |
| Wrong counselling | 5 (2) | - |
| Forgot to take out tablet of ADD bag | 10 (4.4) | - |
| Forgot to put tablet into ADD bag | 3 (1) | - |
| Forgot to stop order in system | 9 (4.0) | 1 (2) |
| Wrong tablet taken out of ADD bag | 3 (1) | - |
| No or wrong cut in ADD roll | 4 (2) | 2 (5) |
| Medicine is not dispensed | 2 (1) | - |
| Did not send stop message to pharmacy | - | 1 (2) |
| Other: | 11 (4.8) | 4 (10) |
| Unknown | 76 (33.5) | 21 (51.2) |
Nature of incident from the patient's perspective.
| Natures of incident | Community pharmacies n (%) N = 227 | Hospitals n (%) N = 41 |
| Too many tablets in ADD bag | 58 (25.6) | 10 (24.4) |
| Too few tablets in ADD bag | 63 (27.8) | 16 (39.1) |
| Wrong tablet in ADD bag | 20 (8.8) | 4 (9.7) |
| Tablet was broken in ADD bag | 3 (1) | 1 (2) |
| Tablet in wrong time ADD bag | 5 (2) | - |
| No ADD roll | 9 (4.0) | 1 (2) |
| Extra ADD roll | 7 (3.1) | - |
| Wrong information on ADD bag | 4 (2) | - |
| No or wrong cut in the ADD roll | 1 (0) | - |
| Wrong patient | 11 (4.8) | 1 (2) |
| Wrong information on administration list | 11 (4.8) | - |
| Providing separate medicine beside the ADD bag | 12 (5.3) | 2 (5) |
| Not providing separate medicine beside the ADD bag | 3 (1) | - |
| Delivering problems | 3 (1) | - |
| Patient used separate medicine beside the ADD bag | 2 (1) | - |
| Did not use the medicine on the right time | - | 1 (2) |
| Other | 3 (1) | 3 (7) |
| Unknown | 12 (5.3) | 2 (5) |
In an ADD bag all medicines intended for one dosing moment are gathered in disposable bags and labelled with patient data, medicine contents and the date and time for intake. Not all medication can be dispensed by the distribution robot, because specific dosage forms (e.g., suppositories, oral liquid formulations) cannot be dispensed with this system. In an ADD roll the bags with medicine (e.g. tablets) for one or two weeks are attached to each other.
Harm to the patient.
| Harm to the patient | Community pharmacy n (%) N = 227 | Hospital n (%) N = 41 |
| Incident did not reach the patient | 88 (38.8) | 26 (63.4) |
| No discomfort | 98 (43.2) | 7 (17.1) |
| Minimal/mild harm | 34 (15.0) | 2 (5) |
| Serious temporary harm | 3 (1) | 1 (2) |
| Serious permanent harm | - | - |
| Death | - | - |
| Unknown | 4 (1) | 5 (12) |