Adding value through pharmacy validation: a safety and cost perspective.

Area of Science:

• Clinical Pharmacy
• Health Economics
• Patient Safety

Background:

• Prescribing errors (PE) are a significant cause of patient harm and healthcare costs.
• Limited data exists on the quantifiable impact of pharmacist interventions in preventing PE.

Purpose of the Study:

• To characterize the severity and cost of potential adverse drug events (ADEs) prevented by pharmacists.
• To conduct an economic analysis of pharmacist interventions for PE prevention.

Main Methods:

• A prospective, observational study in a tertiary teaching hospital using computerized physician order entry and clinical decision support.
• Analysis of PE intercepted during pharmacist validation, with independent assessment of potential ADE severity and probability.
• Estimation of cost avoidance and return on investment for pharmacist interventions.

Main Results:

• 484 PE were intercepted, with 59.1% classified as moderate severity and 4.7% as serious.
• Excessive dosing and omissions were common PE types, particularly with antineoplastic and antimicrobial agents.
• An estimated cost avoidance of €291,422 was achieved, with a return on investment of €1.7 for every €1 spent on pharmacist salaries.

Conclusions:

• Pharmacist interventions are crucial for preventing prescribing errors and enhancing patient safety.
• These interventions offer significant financial benefits to healthcare institutions, demonstrating a positive return on investment.