Completeness of medication prescriptions: Prescription errors study in Hail region, Saudi Arabia (PeSHR)

Abstract

Prescription error is a common and preventable cause of adverse drug events and emerging as a public healthcare concern. It has been responsible for many morbidity, mortality, healthcare cost and litigations. Information regarding the pattern and the burden related to prescription error is limited in Saudi Arabia, particularly, in the Hail region. The study aims to identify the types and frequency of prescription errors in two major hospitals in the Hail Region, Saudi Arabia. A retrospective chart review of prescriptions issued over a two-month period (October–November 2014) was conducted using a validated form. Hand-written prescriptions from the out-patient clinic and Emergency Room were selected using simple random sampling and reviewed to identify any prescription error by two clinical pharmacists. A prescription error was defined and classified based on Neville’s classification. Final data were analyzed using descriptive statistics. Data from 1000 prescriptions was extracted and reviewed. At least one prescription error was identified in all the prescriptions (100%). Type A errors identified were missing information related to dose (42%), diagnosis (47%), file number (78%), patient’s body weight (100%) and age (63%). Of the 1000 prescriptions reviewed, 78% did not have a file number, 63% without the patient’s name. Type D error was identified to be poor handwriting (28%), missing prescription date (34%), patient’s sex (22%) and name (0.8%), prescribing date (34%), physician signature (27%) and stamp (16%). The frequency of prescription error at tertiary healthcare hospitals in the Hail Region, Saudi Arabia is high and preventable. Interventions to ensure adherence to good prescription practice, effective communication between healthcare professionals and computerized physician order entry are therefore needed to prevent the burden associated with the prescription error.