Identifying the Risk Factors of Medication Errors in a Tertiary Hospital in Iran

Area of Science:

• Clinical Pharmacy
• Hospital Pharmacy Services
• Medication Management

Background:

• Pharmacists' roles extend beyond dispensing to optimizing medication use and improving patient outcomes.
• Comprehensive monitoring of hospital pharmaceutical services is essential for quality improvement.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate and monitor pharmaceutical services within the inpatient departments of Imam Hossein Hospital.
• To identify areas of strength and weakness in current pharmaceutical care practices.

Main Methods:

• Utilized two validated questionnaires for data collection.
• Monitored pharmaceutical services across various departments of Imam Hossein Hospital, Iran's largest tertiary hospital.
• Defined appropriateness levels based on percentage scores: Inappropriate (<50%), Relatively Appropriate (50-70%), Appropriate (>70%).

Main Results:

• Significant deficiencies were identified, including the absence of drug combination protocols at admission (all departments).
• High-risk areas included lack of drug calculation tables (90%), narcotic/controlled drug protocols (90%), injectable medication guides (80%), stock lists (75%), and controlled substance protocols (60%).

Conclusions:

• This comprehensive study, the first of its kind in a major Iranian tertiary hospital, reveals critical gaps in pharmaceutical services.
• Findings are generalizable to other hospital settings, providing a benchmark for improving pharmaceutical care and patient safety.