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Complexity of medication-related verbal orders
Douglas S Wakefield1, Marcia M Ward, Debra Groath
1Department of Health Management and Informatics, Center for Health Care Quality, University of Missouri-Columbia, MO 65121, USA. WakefieldDS@health.missouri.edu
Summary
Verbal orders in hospitals show significant variability in communication methods and content across units. This complexity increases the risk of miscommunication and potential patient harm.
Area of Science:
- Healthcare delivery
- Patient safety
- Medical communication
Background:
- Verbal orders are frequently used in hospitals, yet systematic research on their complexity and associated risks is limited.
- Miscommunication and misunderstanding during verbal orders are recognized as potential sources of patient harm.
Purpose of the Study:
- To descriptively analyze medication-related verbal order events in a hospital setting over one week.
- To identify factors contributing to the complexity of verbal orders and potential for errors.
Main Methods:
- Descriptive analysis of medication-related verbal order events.
- Data collection over a 1-week period at a single hospital.
- Categorization of contributing factors to verbal order complexity.
Main Results:
- Significant variability observed in the timing, communication methods, and content of verbal orders across different patient care units.
- Identification of numerous medication-related orders within single verbal order events.
- Defined three categories of factors influencing verbal order complexity and risk: Process/Content, Order Makers, and Order Takers.
Conclusions:
- The complexity of verbal orders, characterized by variability and high order volume, poses a significant risk for miscommunication and patient harm.
- Understanding the identified factors is crucial for developing strategies to improve verbal order safety.
- Further research is needed to mitigate risks associated with verbal ordering processes in healthcare settings.
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