Prescribers hold key to systemic reduction of medication error occurrences

The medication use process is a complex system made up of interlocking component subsystems. These include the prescribing, dispensing and administration systems. Although great emphasis has been placed on preventing errors in the administration process, the prescribing process can be a common source of error. Physicians and other practitioners need to be aware of the sources of error in this subsystem and need to be receptive to ideas and suggestions for reducing prescribing errors, because only the prescribers themselves can fix this part of the system.