Identification and quantification of prescription errors

BackgroundPrescription errors are commonly encountered in health care settings. They can lead to inefficient delivery of health care thus jeopardizing patient care. Knowing the quantum and the possible causes of such errors is the first step in trying to prevent them. We conducted a random audit of prescriptions received in service dispensary of a tertiary care hospital and analyzed them for prescription errors.MethodsA total of 1000 prescriptions were randomly selected. These prescriptions were analyzed with the help of three qualified pharmacists and were stratified as per the errors encountered.ResultsOut of the total of 1000 prescriptions, 650 prescriptions (65%) were found to have a total of 1012 errors. Type B errors were found in 22.4% prescriptions, type C errors in 9.7% prescriptions and type D in 69.1% prescriptions.ConclusionPrescription errors require proactive, continuous and meticulous monitoring so as to minimize them. It requires identification of preventable causes, increasing awareness and sensitizing the prescriber towards this important aspect of health care delivery.