The Pharmacist’s Impact on Medication Error Prevention and Management

A special issue of Pharmacy (ISSN 2226-4787). This special issue belongs to the section "Pharmacy Practice and Practice-Based Research".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 October 2024) | Viewed by 4964

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Guest Editor
School of Pharmacy, College of Medical and Dental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham B15 2TT, UK
Interests: clinical pharmacy; primary and secondary prevention of cardiovascular diseases and pharmacy service developments; pharmaceutical care; communication skills for pharmacists and adherence to medicines
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Medication errors have been defined as events that can be preventable but could cause harm to patients due to inappropriate use, and this could be by healthcare professionals or consumers. Other definitions also include a failure in the treatment process. There are different classifications of medication errors, including selection, prescribing, dosage, drug interactions, transcribing, and administrative errors. Understanding the factors associated with medication errors is essential for safe medication use, patient safety, and harm reduction. There are also cost implications related to avoidable harm in healthcare systems globally due to medication errors, costing health bodies millions of dollars annually. Pharmacists play a crucial role in preventing and minimizing medication errors. This is through interventions during medication reconciliation, medication reviews, medication monitoring, and dispensing practices. This Special Issue, therefore, seeks to explore and contribute to enhancing knowledge of medication errors. This is with a focus on pharmacists’ interventions, seeking to prevent and reduce errors in different healthcare sectors, including primary and secondary care, and at different stages and points of care of patients’ journeys through healthcare. Papers from various disciplines are invited to submit articles showcasing the impact of pharmacists’ interventions, including but not limited to education, communication, recommendations, medication advice, and collaborative care.

Dr. Zahraa Jalal
Guest Editor

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Keywords

  • pharmacists
  • pharmacy
  • medication errors
  • safety incidents
  • medication incidents
  • interventions
  • pharmacy interventions
  • pharmacy management

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

10 pages, 870 KiB  
Article
Redesigning Medication Management in the Emergency Department: The Impact of Partnered Pharmacist Medication Charting on the Time to Administer Pre-Admission Time-Critical Medicines, Medication Order Completeness, and Venous Thromboembolism Risk Assessment
by Tesfay Mehari Atey, Gregory M. Peterson, Mohammed S. Salahudeen, Tom Simpson, Camille M. Boland, Ed Anderson and Barbara C. Wimmer
Pharmacy 2024, 12(2), 71; https://doi.org/10.3390/pharmacy12020071 - 17 Apr 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1570
Abstract
In order to enhance interdisciplinary collaboration and promote better medication management, a partnered pharmacist medication charting (PPMC) model was piloted in the emergency department (ED) of an Australian referral hospital. The primary objective of this study was to evaluate the impact of PPMC [...] Read more.
In order to enhance interdisciplinary collaboration and promote better medication management, a partnered pharmacist medication charting (PPMC) model was piloted in the emergency department (ED) of an Australian referral hospital. The primary objective of this study was to evaluate the impact of PPMC on the timeliness of time-critical medicines (TCMs), completeness of medication orders, and assessment of venous thromboembolism (VTE) risk. This concurrent controlled retrospective pragmatic trial involved individuals aged 18 years and older presenting to the ED from 1 June 2020 to 17 May 2021. The study compared the PPMC approach (PPMC group) with traditional medical officer-led medication charting approaches in the ED, either an early best-possible medication history (BPMH) group or the usual care group. In the PPMC group, a BPMH was documented promptly soon after arrival in the ED, subsequent to which a collaborative discussion, co-planning, and co-charting of medications were undertaken by both a PPMC-credentialled pharmacist and a medical officer. In the early BPMH group, the BPMH was initially obtained in the ED before proceeding with the traditional approach of medication charting. Conversely, in the usual care group, the BPMH was obtained in the inpatient ward subsequent to the traditional approach of medication charting. Three outcome measures were assessed –the duration from ED presentation to the TCM’s first dose administration (e.g., anti-Parkinson’s drugs, hypoglycaemics and anti-coagulants), the completeness of medication orders, and the conduct of VTE risk assessments. The analysis included 321 TCMs, with 107 per group, and 1048 patients, with 230, 230, and 588 in the PPMC, early BPMH, and usual care groups, respectively. In the PPMC group, the median time from ED presentation to the TCM’s first dose administration was 8.8 h (interquartile range: 6.3 to 16.3), compared to 17.5 h (interquartile range: 7.8 to 22.9) in the early BPMH group and 15.1 h (interquartile range: 8.2 to 21.1) in the usual care group (p < 0.001). Additionally, PPMC was associated with a higher proportion of patients having complete medication orders and receiving VTE risk assessments in the ED (both p < 0.001). The implementation of the PPMC model not only expedited the administration of TCMs but also improved the completeness of medication orders and the conduct of VTE risk assessments in the ED. Full article
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13 pages, 434 KiB  
Article
Charting the Knowledge and Patterns of Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs Usage in Hail Population, Saudi Arabia: Insights into the Adverse Effect Profile
by Abdullah T. Altahini, Waled Aburas, Saud F. Aljarwan, Suliman A. Alsuwayagh, Naif F. Alqahtani, Saleh Alquwaiay and Sirajudheen Anwar
Pharmacy 2024, 12(1), 9; https://doi.org/10.3390/pharmacy12010009 - 8 Jan 2024
Viewed by 2732
Abstract
(1) Background: It is crucial to provide safe and knowledgeable healthcare practices because no research has been performed on the knowledge and usage patterns of NSAIDs among the Hail population. (2) Method: Structured questionnaires were utilized to gather data from 399 individuals in [...] Read more.
(1) Background: It is crucial to provide safe and knowledgeable healthcare practices because no research has been performed on the knowledge and usage patterns of NSAIDs among the Hail population. (2) Method: Structured questionnaires were utilized to gather data from 399 individuals in Hail, Saudi Arabia, for the cross-sectional analysis. The study assessed participants’ knowledge regarding NSAIDs, patterns of use, reasons for use, and awareness of potential side effects. (3) Results: In the study, the gender distribution indicated that 170 participants (42.61%) were male, whereas 229 (57.39%) were female. Gender, occupation, and marital status showed non-significant associations except for menstrual cycle and joint pain, where marital status displayed significant associations (p > 0.001). Education and monthly income exhibited non-significant associations for all these reasons. The regression analysis demonstrated that gender played a significant role, with females having higher odds of knowledge (AOR = 1.75, 95% CI 1.10–2.88) than males. Meanwhile, >50% of the participants had knowledge of adverse events related to the use of NSAIDs, whereas 25% had no knowledge. Moreover, 59 (25.76%) participants reported discomfort with the use of NSAIDs. In addition, 50% and >75% of respondents believed that NSAIDs could induce peptic ulcers and kidney damage, respectively. (4) Conclusions: This study shed light on the knowledge and patterns of NSAIDs use in the population of Hail, Saudi Arabia. Healthcare providers and policymakers should consider these insights to develop targeted educational initiatives and healthcare interventions to promote safe and informed NSAID utilization in the region. Full article
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