title: Evaluation of prescription-writing quality in a French university hospital.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the quality of prescription writing at a university hospital in France.
  
  
  METHODS
  Each of the 42 medical, surgical, and intensive-care departments were invited to participate in the study. The initial medication orders were reviewed for 866 patients, resulting in 3,254 medications prescribed. One prescription per patient was reviewed for a total of 866 patients, presenting 3,254 medications.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the 866 prescriptions reviewed, 95.5% were dated. Patient identification was complete in 35.3%. The prescriber was identified properly by both full name and signature in 7.5% of prescriptions. Medication information was complete in only 24% of cases.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study showed that prescriptions were not written correctly. Results of this study have been disseminated, and education has begun on proper prescription practice.
authors.affiliation: Fédération d'Evaluation, Grenoble, France.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: François
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Chirpaz
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Bontemps
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Labarère
authors.forename: J L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Bosson
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Calop
mesh_terms: D011307:Drug Prescriptions / Q000592:standards*; D005568:Forms and Records Control; D005602:France; D006785:Hospitals, University / Q000592:standards; D006801:Humans; D008505:Medical Staff, Hospital / Q000592:standards*; D008508:Medication Errors; D008510:Medication Systems, Hospital / Q000592:standards; D010355:Patient Identification Systems; D011785:Quality Assurance, Health Care; D014956:Writing / Q000592:standards