[Spanish multicentre study for the prevention of medication errors: results over four years (2007-2011)]

The primary objective of the Spanish Multicentre Study for the Prevention of Medication Errors 2007-2011 was to increase patient safety by improving drug practices in 26 participating Spanish hospitals. The secondary objective was to ascertain the medication error rate.

We used a modified Barker and McConnell observation method.

During 2007-2008, 21 009 observations were recorded In 23 hospitals; during 2008-2009, 11 320 observations were recorded in 10 hospitals; during 2009-2010, 6819 observations were recorded in 8 hospitals, and during 2010-2011, 5876 observations were recorded in six hospitals. Error rates, including medication time errors and failure to inform patients came to 21.7%, 33.3%, 35.6% and 25.7% in each of the years respectively. Excluding time errors, the rates were 18.2%, 32.2%, 33.4% and 23.5%; excluding failure to inform patients as well, rates dropped to 12.6%, 14.8%, 12.8% and 8.6%.

a normalised drug administration timetable, normalised IV drug dilutions and rates, better drug administration coordination with mealtimes, electronic prescription, improved patient identification measures, adjusting doses for kidney function, drug reconciliation programmes and patient and drug bar code scanning.

1. The applied measures improved patient safety through better drug practices in participating EMOPEM hospitals. 2. Drug error rates obtained for this sample of Spanish hospitals are some of the highest published. They are significantly lower, however, when we exclude time errors and failure to inform the patient.