The impact of a computerized physician order entry system on medical errors with antineoplastic drugs 5 years after its implementation.

WHAT IS KNOWN AND OBJECTIVE: Computerized physician order entry (CPOE) systems reduce medical errors (MEs). Nevertheless, a CPOE system may also lead to new types of errors, especially when it is first implemented. The objectives of this study were to determine the impact of a CPOE on the number of MEs and to identify the types of MEs in prescriptions issued by the Haematology Department 5 years after the implementation of the CPOE system. METHODS: We conducted a prospective analytical study on the implementation of a CPOE system at the Pharmacy Department of the Hospital Ramon y Cajal (Madrid, Spain). The study comprised three phases: a pre-implementation phase, an implementation phase conducted in the Haematology Department and a post-implementation phase, which was conducted 5 years after the implementation of the CPOE system. One hundred and fifty prescriptions per pre- and post-implementation phase were consecutively included in the study. A previously described classification scheme was used to detect and classify MEs. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: The implementation of a CPOE system was associated with a large reduction in MEs. One hundred and fourteen patients (pre-implementation phase) were compared to 82 patients (post-implementation phase). The total number of MEs per 100 patients decreased from 236·8 (95% CI: 212·1-261·3) to 10·9 (95% CI: 5·8-19·6), with an absolute risk reduction of 36·2 (95% CI: 32·6-39·9). The percentage of prescriptions with an ME decreased from 37·5% to 1·2% (P < 0.001). In the pre-implementation phase, the drugs most frequently associated with MEs were rituximab (35·9%), cyclophosphamide (13%) and methotrexate (7%). In the post-implementation phase, 44·4% of prescription errors involved methotrexate. Five years after the implementation of the CPOE system, the majority of MEs were eliminated, the number of remaining errors (quantity, concentration and ambiguous prescription errors) decreased, and no new types of ME were detected. WHAT IS NEW AND CONCLUSION: The CPOE system almost completely eliminated MEs with antineoplastic drugs in the Haematology Department. No new types of MEs were observed once physicians had become accustomed to using the system. However, some MEs were not eliminated. Constant diligence is needed to analyse and evaluate MEs associated with the CPOE system and their causes, such that the limitations of CPOE can be identified and overcome and the medication-use process associated with antineoplastic agents improved.

Validación de una clasificación de errores de medicación para su utilización en quimioterapia / Validating a Classification Scheme for Medication Errors to be Used in Chemotherapy

Objetivo Validar una hoja de clasificación de errores de medicación asociados a medicamentos antineoplásicos. Métodos Estudio prospectivo. Se diseñó una hoja de recogida de datos sobre la base de la clasificación de la American Society of Health-System Pharmacists. Dos observadores revisaron las líneas de tratamiento de las prescripciones de quimioterapia del Servicio de Hematología durante un mes y clasificaron los errores detectados. Se analizó la concordancia interobservador mediante el test del índice kappa. Se revisaron las categorías de error en las que se obtuvo una concordancia moderada o inferior y se valoró si era necesaria su modificación. Resultados Se analizaron un total de 23 categorías de error y se revisaron 162 líneas de tratamiento. Únicamente una de las categorías fue valorable en función de su prevalencia de error, la de prescripción incompleta o ambigua (índice kappa=0,458=concordancia moderada). Se analizaron las causas y se desglosaron subapartados dentro de esta categoría. Conclusión Nuestros resultados evidenciaron la necesidad de la revisión de la clasificación de errores. Es necesario disponer de herramientas validadas para avanzar en la caracterización de este tipo de errores de medicación (AU)

Objective To validate a classification sheet for medication errors associated with antineoplastic medication. Method Prospective study. A data sheet was designed based on ASHP's classification. Two observers reviewed the treatment prescribed for chemotherapy from the Haematology Department during a month and they classified the errors detected. The interobserver concordance was analysed using the kappa index test. The error categories with a moderate or lower concordance were reviewed, and the need to modify them was evaluated. Results A total of 23 error categories were analysed and 162 lines of treatment were reviewed. Only one of the categories was assessable in accordance with its error prevalence, which was the category for incomplete or ambiguous prescriptions (kappa index=0.458=moderate concordance). The causes were analysed and subsections within this category itemised. Conclusion Our results proved the need to review error classification. Validated tools need to be made available so as to make progress in characterising this type of medication error (AU)

[Validating a classification scheme for medication errors to be used in chemotherapy]. / Validación de una clasificación de errores de medicación para su utilización en quimioterapia.

OBJECTIVE: To validate a classification sheet for medication errors associated with antineoplastic medication. METHOD: Prospective study. A data sheet was designed based on ASHP's classification. Two observers reviewed the treatment prescribed for chemotherapy from the Haematology Department during a month and they classified the errors detected. The interobserver concordance was analysed using the kappa index test. The error categories with a moderate or lower concordance were reviewed, and the need to modify them was evaluated. RESULTS: A total of 23 error categories were analysed and 162 lines of treatment were reviewed. Only one of the categories was assessable in accordance with its error prevalence, which was the category for incomplete or ambiguous prescriptions (kappa index=0.458=moderate concordance). The causes were analysed and subsections within this category itemised. CONCLUSION: Our results proved the need to review error classification. Validated tools need to be made available so as to make progress in characterising this type of medication error.