Exploring Medication Errors with Antipsychotics in Saudi Arabia: Insights from a Nationwide Analysis

Background/Objectives: The objective of this study is to investigate the patterns and characteristics of medication errors (MEs) associated with antipsychotic medication use in hospitals affiliated with the Ministry of Health (MOH) in Saudi Arabia and to identify areas for improvement. Methods: A retrospective descriptive analysis of MEs associated with antipsychotic use was conducted using data collected from MOH-affiliated hospitals between April 2020 and September 2022. The data were analyzed descriptively to identify the factors underpinning unsafe antipsychotic use. Results: The sample period produced 35,077 reported MEs. Reports from the Western region contributed the highest error percentage, and MEs were reported more frequently in male (76.1%, n = 26,705) and adult (97.7%, n = 34,275) patients. Pharmacists reported MEs more often than other healthcare professionals (66.5%, n = 23,312). Most MEs (89.9%, n = 31,524) originated in the prescribing stage, with missing prescription information being the most frequently reported ME type (40.5%, n = 14,206). Atypical antipsychotics accounted for the greatest proportion of reports (79.3%, n = 27,811) compared to typical antipsychotics (20.7%, n = 7262). Most ME outcomes fell into Category B: The error occurred but did not reach the patient (56.4%, n = 19,794). Factors related to staffing or workflow accounted for 21.3% (n = 7467) of the reported errors, followed by a lack of policies in relation to antipsychotics prescribing and monitoring (20.5%; n = 7195). Conclusions: MEs in hospitals in Saudi Arabia frequently involve antipsychotic medications. This study identified important targets that may help reduce such risks in the future.