Hospital prescribing errors: epidemiological assessment of predictors

Aims To demonstrate in epidemiological method to assess predictors of prescribing errors.. Methods A retrospective case-control Study. comparing prescription,, with and without errors, Results Only prescriber and drug characteristics were associated with errors, Prescriber characteristics were medical specialty (e.g. orthopaedics: OR: 3.4, 95% CI 2.1. 5.4) and prescriber status (e.g. verbal orders transcribed by nursing Staff: OR,: 25. 95% Cl 1.8, 3.6). Drug characteristics were dosage form (e.g. inhalation devices: OR: 4.1, 95% CI 1.6, 6.6), therapeutic area (e.g. gastrointestinal tract: OR: 1.7. 95% CI 1.2, 2.4) and continuation of preadmission treatment (Yes: OR: 1.7, 95% CI 1.3, 2.3) Conclusions Other hospitals could Use Our epidemiological framework to identify, their own predictors. Our findings Suggest a focus on specific prescribers, dosage forms therapeutic areas. We also found that prescriptions originating from general practitioners involved errors and therefore, these should be checked when patients are hospitalized.