A medication error prevention survey: five years of results

The Alberta Cancer Board is composed of 19 cancer centers in Alberta, Canada. In 1996, the Alberta Cancer Board's Medication Error Prevention Committee developed a medication error prevention survey based on the medication error prevention policies. Since 1996, this survey has been sent annually to the pharmacy departments of the 19 cancer centers. Each year, the results are presented to the Pharmacy and Therapeutics Committee of the Alberta Cancer Board.

The purpose of the paper was to present and analyze five years of medication error prevention survey results, thus summarizing adherence to the Alberta Cancer Board's medication error prevention policies.

Medication error prevention survey results from 2003 to 2007 were collected. For each of the five years, a medication error prevention survey was faxed to the pharmacy department at each of the 19 cancer centers of the Alberta Cancer Board. Results of the survey were tabulated by the pharmacist responsible for quality assurance.

Analysis of the five years of medication error prevention survey results revealed that over 90% of the medication error prevention policies were followed within the 19 Alberta Cancer Board sites. Adherence to the policies was 490% in the tertiary sites and associate clinics. Adherence was also >90% in the community cancer centers.

Results from the survey indicated that the medication error prevention policies are practiced within the Alberta Cancer Board. Potential areas of improvement have been identified and will be addressed by the Medication Error Prevention Team.