Assessing the impact of an educational program on decreasing prescribing errors at a university hospital.
BACKGROUND
Several complex and costly interventions reduce medication errors. Little exists on the effectiveness of providing education and feedback to institutional clinicians as a means of reducing errors.


OBJECTIVE
To determine the impact on prescribing errors of a pharmacist-led educational intervention.


METHODS
Prospective, interrupted time series study.


METHODS
This study was conducted among internal medicine residents at the 320-bed University of Toledo Medical Center.


METHODS
The educational intervention was conducted during a 6-month period beginning in November 2006. The intervention included an initial hour-long lecture followed by biweekly and then monthly discussions that used timely, institution-specific examples of prescribing errors.


METHODS
Data were collected at 5 time points: month 0 (preintervention period); months 1, 3, and 6 (intervention period); and month 7 (postintervention period). Errors were identified, transcribed, coded, and entered into a database. The primary outcome was the frequency of prescribing errors during each period. A Bonferroni-adjusted chi-square analysis was conducted with an a priori experiment-wise alpha of 0.05.


RESULTS
A reduction in prescribing errors of 33% following the first intervention month and a mean 26% reduction during the study period were observed (P<0.0025). The frequencies of preintervention and postintervention errors did not differ significantly.


CONCLUSIONS
A straightforward educational intervention reduced prescribing errors during the period of active intervention, but this effect was not sustained. Ongoing communication and education about institution-specific medication errors appear warranted.
Peeters
Michael J
MJ
University of Toledo College of Pharmacy, Toledo, Ohio 43606, USA. michael.peeters@utoledo.edu
Pinto
Sharrel L
SL
D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D016303:Clinical Pharmacy Information Systems; D016208:Databases, Factual; D017723:Drug Utilization Review; D005246:Feedback; D006745:Hospital Bed Capacity, 300 to 499; D006785:Hospitals, University / Q000592:standards*; D006801:Humans; D007388:Internal Medicine / Q000193:education* / Q000592:standards; D007396:Internship and Residency / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards; D008508:Medication Errors / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D009820:Ohio; D010607:Pharmacy Service, Hospital; D015397:Program Evaluation; D011446:Prospective Studies