How to Prevent or Reduce Prescribing Errors: An Evidence Brief for Policy

Area of Science:

• Health Policy
• Patient Safety
• Pharmacology

Background:

• Prescribing errors pose a significant risk to patient safety.
• Effective interventions are needed to minimize medication errors in healthcare settings.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop an evidence brief for policy to identify effective interventions for preventing prescribing errors.
• To inform decision-makers on implementing strategies to reduce medication errors.

Main Methods:

• Systematic review of evidence on interventions to avoid or reduce prescribing errors.
• Development of an evidence brief for policy considerations.

Main Results:

• Four key interventions were identified: prescriber education, computerized alert systems, prescribing guidance tools, and multidisciplinary team care involving pharmacists.
• These interventions can be implemented individually or in combination, depending on the healthcare context.

Conclusions:

• Implementing educational actions, computerized alerts, prescribing tools, and multidisciplinary care can enhance patient safety by reducing prescribing errors.
• Considerations for implementation in upper-middle-income countries, such as Brazil, and equity implications were addressed.