The effect of computerized physician-order entry on outpatient prescription errors.
Little information is available regarding the use of computerized physician-order entry (CPOE) in the outpatient setting or the role of pharmacists in preventing prescription errors with CPOE. This study evaluated the effect of CPOE on pharmacist-intercepted prescription errors in the outpatient setting by using data collected from a retrospective survey of 4527 prescriptions ordered in the outpatient clinics of a tertiary academic center between 1996 and 2002. The use of CPOE increased from 1% in 1996 to 59% in 2002 (P < .001); during the same period, intercepted prescription errors with computerized prescriptions decreased when compared with handwritten prescriptions (4.9% vs. 7.4%; P = .0048). The most common intercepted prescription error involved the dosage form, followed by quantity dispensed, medication dosage, and drug allergy. These conclusions suggest a decrease in outpatient intercepted prescription errors associated with CPOE. The pharmacist plays a critical role in the prevention of prescription errors, as the errors discovered in the study would have reached the patients if not for their interception by these health care professionals.
Varkey
Prathibha
P
Division of Preventive and Occupational Medicine, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, Rochester, Minnesota 55905, USA. varkey.prathibha@mayo.edu
Aponte
Philip
P
Swanton
Claudia
C
Fischer
Deborah
D
Johnson
Susan F
SF
Brennan
Michael D
MD
D016303:Clinical Pharmacy Information Systems / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011307:Drug Prescriptions / Q000145:classification*; D006123:Group Practice / Q000592:standards*; D006236:Handwriting; D006801:Humans; D050316:Medical Order Entry Systems / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008508:Medication Errors / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008910:Minnesota; D015397:Program Evaluation; D011785:Quality Assurance, Health Care / Q000379:methods*; D017751:Safety Management / Q000379:methods*