BMJ quality & safety
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BMJ quality & safety · Feb 2013
Multicenter StudyPerceived causes of prescribing errors by junior doctors in hospital inpatients: a study from the PROTECT programme.
Prescribing errors are a major cause of patient safety incidents. Understanding the underlying factors is essential in developing interventions to address this problem. This study aimed to investigate the perceived causes of prescribing errors among foundation (junior) doctors in Scotland. ⋯ This study has emphasised the complex nature of prescribing errors, and the wide range of error-producing conditions within hospitals including the work environment, team, task, individual and patient. Further work is now needed to develop and assess interventions that address these possible causes in order to reduce prescribing error rates.
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BMJ quality & safety · Feb 2013
Multicenter StudyMedication discrepancies in integrated electronic health records.
Medication discrepancies are associated with adverse drug events. Electronic health records (EHRs) may reduce discrepancies, especially if integrated with pharmacy dispensing. We determined the prevalence of discrepancies within a national healthcare system with EHR-pharmacy linkage to characterise the medications involved and to identify factors associated with discrepancies. ⋯ In a system with a well established EHR linked to pharmacy dispensing, medication discrepancies occurred in 60% of ambulatory clinic patients. Patients with a greater number of medications were more likely to have errors of commission and duplication, but less likely to have errors of omission. Our findings highlight that relying on EHRs alone will not ensure an accurate medication list and stress the need to review medication taking thoroughly with patients to capitalise on the full potential of EHRs.
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BMJ quality & safety · Feb 2013
Multicenter Study'Matching Michigan': a 2-year stepped interventional programme to minimise central venous catheter-blood stream infections in intensive care units in England.
Bloodstream infections from central venous catheters (CVC-BSIs) increase morbidity and costs in intensive care units (ICUs). Substantial reductions in CVC-BSI rates have been reported using a combination of technical and non-technical interventions. ⋯ The marked reduction in CVC-BSI rates in English ICUs found in this study is likely part of a wider secular trend for a system-wide improvement in healthcare-associated infections. Opportunities exist for greater harmonisation of infection control practices. Future studies should investigate causal mechanisms and contextual factors influencing the impact of interventions directed at improving patient care.