title: Prescription errors by emergency physicians for inpatients are associated with emergency department length of stay.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Adverse drug events are the sixth-leading cause of death in Western countries and are also more frequent in emergency departments (EDs). In some hospitals or on some occasions, ED physicians prescribe for patients who they have admitted. These prescriptions are then followed by the wards and can persist for several days. Our objectives were to determine the frequency of prescription errors for patients over 18years old hospitalized from ED to medical or surgical wards, and whether there exists a relationship between those prescription errors and ED LOS.
  
  
  METHODS
  This was a single center retrospective study that was conduct in the ED of a university hospital with an annual census of 65 000 patients. The population studied consisted of patients over 18years old hospitalized from ED to medical or surgical wards between January 1st, 2012 and January 21st, 2012.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Six hundred eight patients were included. One hundred fifty-four (25%) patients had prescription errors. Prescription errors were associated with increased ED length of stay (OR=2.47; 95% CIs [1.58; 3.92]) and polypharmacy (OR=1.78; 95% CIs [1.20; 2.66]). Fewer prescription errors were found when the patient was examined in the ED by a consultant (OR=0.61; 95% CIs [0.41; 0.91]) and when the medical history was known (OR=0.28; 95% CIs [0.10; 0.88]).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Prescription errors occurred frequently in the ED. We assume that a clear communication and cooperation between EPs and consultants may help improve prescription accuracy.
authors: Pôle anesthésie réanimation douleur urgences, centre hospitalier universitaire de Nîmes, 4, rue du Professeur-Robert-Debré, 30029 Nîmes, France; EA 2415, Clinical Research University Institute, centre hospitalier universitaire de Montpellier, 34000 Montpellier, France. Electronic address: pierre.geraud.claret@gmail.com.
authors: Pierre-Géraud
authors: PG
authors: Claret
authors: Pôle anesthésie réanimation douleur urgences, centre hospitalier universitaire de Nîmes, 4, rue du Professeur-Robert-Debré, 30029 Nîmes, France.
authors: Xavier
authors: X
authors: Bobbia
authors: Pôle anesthésie réanimation douleur urgences, centre hospitalier universitaire de Nîmes, 4, rue du Professeur-Robert-Debré, 30029 Nîmes, France.
authors: Rhoda
authors: R
authors: Renia
authors: Pôle anesthésie réanimation douleur urgences, centre hospitalier universitaire de Nîmes, 4, rue du Professeur-Robert-Debré, 30029 Nîmes, France.
authors: Andrew
authors: A
authors: Stowell
authors: Pôle anesthésie réanimation douleur urgences, centre hospitalier universitaire de Nîmes, 4, rue du Professeur-Robert-Debré, 30029 Nîmes, France.
authors: Jacques
authors: J
authors: Crampagne
authors: Pôle anesthésie réanimation douleur urgences, centre hospitalier universitaire de Nîmes, 4, rue du Professeur-Robert-Debré, 30029 Nîmes, France.
authors: Jean
authors: J
authors: Flechet
authors: Département informatique médicale, centre hospitalier universitaire de Nîmes, 30029 Nîmes, France.
authors: Christian
authors: C
authors: Czeschan
authors: Pôle anesthésie réanimation douleur urgences, centre hospitalier universitaire de Nîmes, 4, rue du Professeur-Robert-Debré, 30029 Nîmes, France.
authors: Mustapha
authors: M
authors: Sebbane
authors: EA 2415, Clinical Research University Institute, centre hospitalier universitaire de Montpellier, 34000 Montpellier, France; Département de biostatistique, épidémiologie, santé publique et informatique médicale, centre hospitalier universitaire de Nîmes, 30029 Nîmes, France.
authors: Paul
authors: P
authors: Landais
authors: Pôle anesthésie réanimation douleur urgences, centre hospitalier universitaire de Nîmes, 4, rue du Professeur-Robert-Debré, 30029 Nîmes, France.
authors: Jean-Emmanuel
authors: JE
authors: de La Coussaye
keywords: Drug therapy; Durée de séjour; Emergency service; Erreurs médicamenteuses; Hospital; Length of stay; Medication errors; Structure d’urgences; Traitement médicamenteux