Outcome of Medication Errors Reduction Procedure in Phukieo Health Promoting Hospitals, Chaiyaphum Province

Abstract

Medication error is an adverse event in medication use process. We found medication errors more than 50% in health promoting hospital. Objective: Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate outcome of medication errors reduction procedure. Material and Methods: An action research was conducted to develop medication errors reduction procedure in four health promoting hospitals by health care professional and hospital pharmacist. The 2 interventions were implemented in the non-communicable disease clinics (NCD clinics) and evaluate different after 3 months. Intervention I was providing knowledges about medication errors and regulation on how to prevent the repetitive drugs allergy and look alike sound alike (LASA) by the pharmacist. Intervention II was additional medication errors reduction process derived from the root cause analysis of problems. Results: Before intervention, the 41.0 medication error incidents per 100 prescriptions were found. After 3-month procedure implementation, medication errors were statistically significantly reduced to 14.3 errors per 100 prescriptions (p<0.001). In the hospital center, Intervention I and II could reduce medication error incidence more than those with intervention I significantly (p<0.001). Conclusion: Medication error reduction procedure in health promoting hospitals reduced more than 50%of medication error. Intervention should be selected according to each health promoting hospitals context.