In a new U.S. study, researchers found numerous errors in utilising and administering medicines in hospitals and nursing homes. The rates are similar to those in other reports on drug errors, but the new study highlights a specific point in the process of getting a drug to a patient: “administering errors” made by nurses or other hospital staffers after a doctor has properly prescribed a drug.
Other studies focused on earlier steps, such as doctors prescribing the wrong drug, or pharmacists incorrectly reading a doctor’s messy handwriting.
The study, which did not evaluate death or injury rates, is published in Archives of Internal Medicine. According to the report:
The researchers said their findings support implications in a highly publicised 1999 Institute of Medicine report suggesting that the Americas hospitals have “major systems problems.” The IOM report said medical errors contribute to more than 1 million injuries and up to 98,000 deaths annually.
The study follows the recent announcement of six safety standards the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organisations will require starting in January to reduce medical errors. The new standards require better methods of preventing drug errors, and hospitals that don’t measure up could risk losing accreditation and federal money.
Source: Kenneth N. Barker et al., Medication Errors Observed in 36 Health Care Facilities, Archives of Internal Medicine, September 9, 2002; Study Finds Many Drug Errors, and ABC News (Associated Press), Sept 8, 2002.
For text http://archinte.ama-assn.org/issues/current/abs/ioi10605.html
Summary: http://abcnews.go.com/wire/US/ap20020908_1065.html
For more on Health and related issues
http://www.ncpa.org/iss/hea/
FMF Policy Bulletin\17 September 2002
