title: Towards safer drug prescribing, dispensing and administration in hospitals.
abstract: A multidisciplinary workshop was held in order to identify strategies likely to produce a reduction in adverse drug events, by targeting hospital systems involved in drug prescribing, dispensing and administration. Strategies identified at the workshop included: (i) improving the education and practice development of medical and nursing staff, concerning drug therapy and safe prescribing principles; (ii) introducing and using information technology and electronic prescribing processes; (iii) implementing the Australian Pharmaceutical Advisory Council (APAC) national guidelines to achieve the continuum of quality use of medicines between hospitals and the community; (iv) enhancing the importance of medication history taking as a routine part of the admission process; (v) instituting individual patient supply as the standard method of drug distribution in hospitals; and (vi) stimulating the hospital-based clinical pharmacy workforce.
authors: Pharmacy Department, Westmead Hospital, NSW, Australia.
authors: P D
authors: PD
authors: Thornton
authors: S
authors: S
authors: Simon
authors: T H
authors: TH
authors: Mathew
mesh_terms: D001315:Australia; D011307:Drug Prescriptions / Q000191:economics / Q000592:standards*; D004358:Drug Therapy / Q000592:standards*; D004360:Drug Therapy, Computer-Assisted; D004501:Education, Medical; D004506:Education, Nursing; D017408:Guidelines as Topic; D006801:Humans; D007049:Iatrogenic Disease / Q000517:prevention & control; D008508:Medication Errors / Q000517:prevention & control*; D008510:Medication Systems, Hospital / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000592:standards*; D011785:Quality Assurance, Health Care / Q000379:methods*; D012308:Risk Management / Q000379:methods*