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OBJECTIVE: Electronic prescribing is considered a basic measure for the prevention and reduction of medications errors. The goal of this survey was to assess the incidence of errors occurring with electronic versus standard prescription. METHOD: A prospective, sequential, open-label study to assess errors with electronic prescribing as compared to traditional manual prescribing in two public hospitals in Balearic Islands. Errors regarding medication, diet and/or nursing orders were assesses along four process stages: medical prescription, pharmacy transcription/validation, nursing transcription, and dispensation. RESULTS: With manual prescription 1,576 errors/18,539 therapy orders (8.50%) were identified, whereas with electronic prescription 827 errors/18,885 therapy orders (4.38%) were detected, which represents a relative risk reduction by 48% and an absolute risk reduction by 4.12% (p < 0.0001). Pharmacy transcription/validation errors decreased (1.73 vs. 0.13%, p < 0.0001), as did nursing transcription errors (2.54 vs. 0.81%, p < 0.0001) and dispensation errors (2.13 vs. 0.96%, p < 0.0001); however, the number of prescription errors increased (2.10 vs. 2.40%, p = 0.0401). CONCLUSIONS: Electronic prescription is a powerful tool, and one that in this work was shown to decrease medication-, diet-, and nursing care-related errors in a highly significant way; however, it should be developed and maintained in order to achieve safety and effectiveness as required by drug usage.

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RESUMEN

Objetivo: Evaluar la incidencia de errores que se producencon la prescripción electrónica comparada con la prescripciónmanual.Método: Estudio prospectivo, secuencial y abierto para valorarlos errores con prescripción electrónica comparándola con laprescripción manual tradicional en dos hospitales públicos de lasIslas Baleares. Se han valorado los errores de medicación, dietay/u órdenes de enfermería en cuatro fases del proceso: prescripciónmédica, transcripción/validación en farmacia, transcripciónde enfermería y dispensación.Resultados: Con la prescripción manual se detectaron 1.576errores/18.539 órdenes de tratamiento (8,50%), y con la prescripciónelectrónica 827 errores/18.885 órdenes de tratamiento(4,38%), lo que supone una reducción relativa del riesgo del 48%y una reducción absoluta del riesgo de 4,12% (p < 0,0001). Existeuna disminución de errores de transcripción/validación en farmacia(1,73 vs. 0,13%, p < 0,0001), transcripción de enfermería(2,54 vs. 0,81%, p < 0,0001) y dispensación (2,13 vs. 0,96%, p < 0,0001); sin embargo, en la prescripción se observa un aumentodel número de errores (2,10 vs. 2,40%, p = 0,0401).Conclusiones: La prescripción electrónica es una herramientamuy poderosa que ha mostrado en este trabajo disminuir deforma muy significativa los errores de medicación, dieta y cuidadosde enfermería, pero que hay que desarrollar y mantener paraconseguir la seguridad y efectividad que se pretende en la utilizaciónde medicamentos

Objective: Electronic prescribing is considered a basic measurefor the prevention and reduction of medications errors. Thegoal of this survey was to assess the incidence of errors occurringwith electronic versus standard prescription.Method: A prospective, sequential, open-label study to assesserrors with electronic prescribing as compared to traditional manualprescribing in two public hospitals in Balearic Islands. Errorsregarding medication, diet and/or nursing orders were assessesalong four process stages: medical prescription, pharmacy transcription/validation, nursing transcription, and dispensation.Results: With manual prescription 1,576 errors/18,539 therapyorders (8.50%) were identified, whereas with electronic prescription827 errors/18,885 therapy orders (4.38%) were detected,which represents a relative risk reduction by 48% and an absoluterisk reduction by 4.12% (p < 0.0001). Pharmacy transcription/validationerrors decreased (1.73 vs. 0.13%, p < 0.0001), as did nursingtranscription errors (2.54 vs. 0.81%, p < 0.0001) and dispensationerrors (2.13 vs. 0.96%, p < 0.0001); however, the number ofprescription errors increased (2.10 vs. 2.40%, p = 0.0401).Conclusions: Electronic prescription is a powerful tool, andone that in this work was shown to decrease medication-, diet-,and nursing care-related errors in a highly significant way; however,it should be developed and maintained in order to achieve safetyand effectiveness as required by drug usage

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