Medication errors in cancer therapy: Reports from German hospital pharmacists between 2008 and 2019

TY - JOUR

T1 - Medication errors in cancer therapy: Reports from German hospital pharmacists between 2008 and 2019

AU - Weber, Lisa

AU - Langebrake, Claudia

AU - Picksak, Gesine

AU - Schöning, Tilman

AU - Schulze, Ingo

AU - Jaehde, Ulrich

PY - 2023/9

Y1 - 2023/9

N2 - OBJECTIVE: Since medication errors can have severe consequences, the development of methods to improve patient safety is becoming increasingly important. The aim of this evaluation was to identify frequent medication errors in oncology as well as characteristic correlations in the various error patterns. In addition, the implementation rate of the proposed pharmaceutical intervention was determined in order to assess the benefit of a clinical pharmacist in the field of oncology.METHODS: The evaluation was based on a data-set from a national documentation system for medication errors and interventions (DokuPIK) used by hospital pharmacists in the field of oncology from 2008 to 2019, namely 6684 reported cases in oncology, representing about 5% of all reports in DokuPIK.RESULTS: The most frequently reported errors were incorrect doses (22% of reported errors), followed by interactions (14%); in 10% of errors the prescription/documentation was incomplete/incorrect. The intervention suggested by the pharmacist was implemented in 97% of the cases. Based on the respective Anatomical Therapeutical Chemical Classification (ATC codes), drugs (or groups of drugs) were identified that were reported frequently in connection with medication errors, namely carboplatin and cyclophosphamide as anticancer drugs pantoprazole as non-anticancer drug.CONCLUSION: Frequently occurring medication errors in the field of oncology were identified, facilitating the development of specific recommendations for action and prevention strategies. The implementation of an electronic prescription software is particularly recommended for the avoidance of dosage errors in chemotherapy.

AB - OBJECTIVE: Since medication errors can have severe consequences, the development of methods to improve patient safety is becoming increasingly important. The aim of this evaluation was to identify frequent medication errors in oncology as well as characteristic correlations in the various error patterns. In addition, the implementation rate of the proposed pharmaceutical intervention was determined in order to assess the benefit of a clinical pharmacist in the field of oncology.METHODS: The evaluation was based on a data-set from a national documentation system for medication errors and interventions (DokuPIK) used by hospital pharmacists in the field of oncology from 2008 to 2019, namely 6684 reported cases in oncology, representing about 5% of all reports in DokuPIK.RESULTS: The most frequently reported errors were incorrect doses (22% of reported errors), followed by interactions (14%); in 10% of errors the prescription/documentation was incomplete/incorrect. The intervention suggested by the pharmacist was implemented in 97% of the cases. Based on the respective Anatomical Therapeutical Chemical Classification (ATC codes), drugs (or groups of drugs) were identified that were reported frequently in connection with medication errors, namely carboplatin and cyclophosphamide as anticancer drugs pantoprazole as non-anticancer drug.CONCLUSION: Frequently occurring medication errors in the field of oncology were identified, facilitating the development of specific recommendations for action and prevention strategies. The implementation of an electronic prescription software is particularly recommended for the avoidance of dosage errors in chemotherapy.

U2 - 10.1177/10781552221135130

DO - 10.1177/10781552221135130

M3 - SCORING: Journal article

C2 - 36349367

VL - 29

SP - 1443

EP - 1453

JO - J ONCOL PHARM PRACT

JF - J ONCOL PHARM PRACT

SN - 1078-1552

IS - 6

ER -