Inpatient prescribing errors and pharmacist intervention at a teaching hospital in Saudi Arabia

Abstract Background: Prescribing errors phenomena are very common within health care prac- tice. These errors could result in adverse events and harm to patients. Pharmacist has an identified role in minimizing and preventing such errors. Objectives: To detect the incidence of prescribing errors for hospitalized patient, to evaluate the clinical impact of pharmacist intervention on the detection of these errors, and to propose a pro- gram to overcome this problem in a teaching hospital. Methods: For one month period starting November until December 2009, the inpatient medication charts and orders were identified and rectified by ward and practicing pharmacists within inpatient pharmacy services in a teaching hospital at King Khalid University Hospital (KKUH) at King Saud University, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia on routine daily activities. Data were collected and evaluated. The causes of this problem were identified. Results: Approximately 113 (7.1%) prescribing errors were detected during the study period out of 1580 medication orders. Wrong strength and wrong administration frequency of the prescribed drug were the most errors encountered in the study, which were 35%, and 23%, respectively. Other errors such as wrong patient, wrong drug, and wrong dose were also encountered. Lack of knowl- edge of prescribing skill was the main cause of such errors.