Effect of automated drug distribution systems on medication error rates in a short‐stay geriatric unit. Issue 5 (11th June 2014)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Cousein, Etienne; Mareville, Julie; Lerooy, Alexandre; Caillau, Antoine; Labreuche, Julien; Dambre, Delphine; Odou, Pascal; Bonte, Jean‐Paul; Puisieux, François; Decaudin, Bertrand; Coupé, Patrick
• Is Part Of: Journal of evaluation in clinical practice. Volume 20:Issue 5(2014)
• Page Start: 678
• Page End: 684
• Publication Date: 2014-06-11
• Subjects: Clinical medicine -- Periodicals; 616.005
• DOI: 10.1111/jep.12202
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1356-1294

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="main"> <title>Abstract</title> <sec id="jep12202-sec-0001" sec-type="section"> <title>Rationale, aims and objectives</title> <p>To assess the impact of an automated drug distribution system on medication errors (MEs).</p> </sec> <sec id="jep12202-sec-0002" sec-type="section"> <title>Methods</title> <p>Before‐after observational study in a 40‐bed short stay geriatric unit within a 1800 bed general hospital in Valenciennes, France. Researchers attended nurse medication administration rounds and compared administered to prescribed drugs, before and after the drug distribution system changed from a ward stock system (WSS) to a unit dose dispensing system (UDDS), integrating a unit dose dispensing robot and automated medication dispensing cabinet (AMDC).</p> </sec> <sec id="jep12202-sec-0004" sec-type="section"> <title>Results</title> <p>A total of 615 opportunities of errors (OEs) were observed among 148 patients treated during the WSS period, and 783 OEs were observed among 166 patients treated during the UDDS period. ME [medication administration error (MAE)] rates were calculated and compared between the two periods. Secondary measures included type of errors, seriousness of errors and risk reduction for the patients. The implementation of an automated drug dispensing system resulted in a 53% reduction in MAEs. All error types were reduced in the UDDS period compared with the WSS period (<italic>P</italic> < 0.001). Wrong dose and wrong drug errors were reduced by 79.1% (2.4% versus 0.5%, <italic>P</italic> = 0.005) and 93.7% (1.9% versus 0.01%, <italic>P</italic> = 0.009), respectively.</p> </sec> <sec id="jep12202-sec-0006" sec-type="section"> <title>Conclusion</title> <p>An automated UDDS combining a unit dose dispensing robot and AMDCs could reduce discrepancies between ordered and administered drugs, thus improving medication safety among the elderly.</p> </sec> </abstract>