Analysis of Medication Errors Reported by Community Pharmacists in the Republic of Korea: A Cross-Sectional Study
<i>Background and objectives</i>: We aimed to describe medication-related incidents or medication errors (MEs) reported by community pharmacists and analyze the prevalent medications involved. <i>Materials and Methods</i>: We extracted ME reports from databases comprising pat...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2023-01-01
|
| Series: | Medicina |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1648-9144/59/1/151 |
| _version_ | 1797438891913904128 |
|---|---|
| author | Ju-Hee Han Kyu-Nam Heo JiMin Han Mo-Se Lee Su-Jin Kim Sangil Min Young-Mi Ah Ju-Yeun Lee |
| author_facet | Ju-Hee Han Kyu-Nam Heo JiMin Han Mo-Se Lee Su-Jin Kim Sangil Min Young-Mi Ah Ju-Yeun Lee |
| author_sort | Ju-Hee Han |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | <i>Background and objectives</i>: We aimed to describe medication-related incidents or medication errors (MEs) reported by community pharmacists and analyze the prevalent medications involved. <i>Materials and Methods</i>: We extracted ME reports from databases comprising patient safety incidents reported to the Korean Pharmaceutical Association between January 2013 and June 2021. Medications were analyzed according to the second (therapeutic subgroup) and fifth (chemical substance) levels of the Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical classification. <i>Results</i>: A total of 9046 MEs were identified, most of which were near miss reports (88.3%). Among the errors that reached the patients (521 cases), harmful incidents accounted for 76.8%. Most MEs occurred during prescription (89.5%), while harmful MEs occurred mainly during dispensing (73.3%). In the prescription step, wrong drugs (44.8%), dosing errors (27.0%), and wrong durations (14.0%) were common. Anti-inflammatory and anti-rheumatic products (M01), drugs for acid-related disorders (A02), and antihistamines for systemic use (R06) were the most frequently reported medication classes involved. Harmful incidents were most common for dosing errors (31.0%) and wrong drugs (26.8%) and were common with warfarin, levothyroxine, and glimepiride. <i>Conclusions</i>: The MEs reported by community pharmacists were mainly prescribing errors, most of which were rectified before reaching patients. The prevalent medications involved in harmful errors include anti-diabetic, anti-thrombotic, and anti-inflammatory agents. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T11:44:52Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-ca2b12e4598945c1b97ced8a90457a31 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1010-660X 1648-9144 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T11:44:52Z |
| publishDate | 2023-01-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Medicina |
| spelling | doaj.art-ca2b12e4598945c1b97ced8a90457a312023-11-30T23:25:05ZengMDPI AGMedicina1010-660X1648-91442023-01-0159115110.3390/medicina59010151Analysis of Medication Errors Reported by Community Pharmacists in the Republic of Korea: A Cross-Sectional StudyJu-Hee Han0Kyu-Nam Heo1JiMin Han2Mo-Se Lee3Su-Jin Kim4Sangil Min5Young-Mi Ah6Ju-Yeun Lee7College of Pharmacy, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Republic of KoreaCollege of Pharmacy, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Republic of KoreaCollege of Pharmacy, Chungbuk National University, Cheongju 28160, Republic of KoreaRegional Patient Safety Center, Korean Pharmaceutical Association, Seoul 03080, Republic of KoreaRegional Patient Safety Center, Korean Pharmaceutical Association, Seoul 03080, Republic of KoreaDepartment of Surgery, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul 03080, Republic of KoreaCollege of Pharmacy, Yeungnam University, Gyeongsan-si 38541, Republic of KoreaCollege of Pharmacy, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea<i>Background and objectives</i>: We aimed to describe medication-related incidents or medication errors (MEs) reported by community pharmacists and analyze the prevalent medications involved. <i>Materials and Methods</i>: We extracted ME reports from databases comprising patient safety incidents reported to the Korean Pharmaceutical Association between January 2013 and June 2021. Medications were analyzed according to the second (therapeutic subgroup) and fifth (chemical substance) levels of the Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical classification. <i>Results</i>: A total of 9046 MEs were identified, most of which were near miss reports (88.3%). Among the errors that reached the patients (521 cases), harmful incidents accounted for 76.8%. Most MEs occurred during prescription (89.5%), while harmful MEs occurred mainly during dispensing (73.3%). In the prescription step, wrong drugs (44.8%), dosing errors (27.0%), and wrong durations (14.0%) were common. Anti-inflammatory and anti-rheumatic products (M01), drugs for acid-related disorders (A02), and antihistamines for systemic use (R06) were the most frequently reported medication classes involved. Harmful incidents were most common for dosing errors (31.0%) and wrong drugs (26.8%) and were common with warfarin, levothyroxine, and glimepiride. <i>Conclusions</i>: The MEs reported by community pharmacists were mainly prescribing errors, most of which were rectified before reaching patients. The prevalent medications involved in harmful errors include anti-diabetic, anti-thrombotic, and anti-inflammatory agents.https://www.mdpi.com/1648-9144/59/1/151medication errorcommunity pharmacyhigh-risk medicationspatient safety |
| spellingShingle | Ju-Hee Han Kyu-Nam Heo JiMin Han Mo-Se Lee Su-Jin Kim Sangil Min Young-Mi Ah Ju-Yeun Lee Analysis of Medication Errors Reported by Community Pharmacists in the Republic of Korea: A Cross-Sectional Study Medicina medication error community pharmacy high-risk medications patient safety |
| title | Analysis of Medication Errors Reported by Community Pharmacists in the Republic of Korea: A Cross-Sectional Study |
| title_full | Analysis of Medication Errors Reported by Community Pharmacists in the Republic of Korea: A Cross-Sectional Study |
| title_fullStr | Analysis of Medication Errors Reported by Community Pharmacists in the Republic of Korea: A Cross-Sectional Study |
| title_full_unstemmed | Analysis of Medication Errors Reported by Community Pharmacists in the Republic of Korea: A Cross-Sectional Study |
| title_short | Analysis of Medication Errors Reported by Community Pharmacists in the Republic of Korea: A Cross-Sectional Study |
| title_sort | analysis of medication errors reported by community pharmacists in the republic of korea a cross sectional study |
| topic | medication error community pharmacy high-risk medications patient safety |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1648-9144/59/1/151 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT juheehan analysisofmedicationerrorsreportedbycommunitypharmacistsintherepublicofkoreaacrosssectionalstudy AT kyunamheo analysisofmedicationerrorsreportedbycommunitypharmacistsintherepublicofkoreaacrosssectionalstudy AT jiminhan analysisofmedicationerrorsreportedbycommunitypharmacistsintherepublicofkoreaacrosssectionalstudy AT moselee analysisofmedicationerrorsreportedbycommunitypharmacistsintherepublicofkoreaacrosssectionalstudy AT sujinkim analysisofmedicationerrorsreportedbycommunitypharmacistsintherepublicofkoreaacrosssectionalstudy AT sangilmin analysisofmedicationerrorsreportedbycommunitypharmacistsintherepublicofkoreaacrosssectionalstudy AT youngmiah analysisofmedicationerrorsreportedbycommunitypharmacistsintherepublicofkoreaacrosssectionalstudy AT juyeunlee analysisofmedicationerrorsreportedbycommunitypharmacistsintherepublicofkoreaacrosssectionalstudy |