Implementing an emergency department pharmacy service and its effect on medication safety

Abstract

Objectives: This service innovation project examined the effect an Emergency Department (ED) pharmacy service had on medication-related safety markers.

Methods: A pre-test/post-test design captured medication-related safety markers on admission data at ward level after patients had been seen in the ED. The markers were, medication omitted, incorrect medicines prescribed and the number of incorrect doses or frequency of doses.

Key findings: All three safety markers saw reductions. Mean (SD) medications omitted were reduced from 2.19 (±3.01) to 0.48 (±1.3), incorrect medication from 0.35 (±1.11) to 0.08 (±0.36) and the number of incorrect doses or frequency of doses from 0.38 (±0.69) to 0.13 (±0.38) per patient. All differences were statistically significant (P = 0.00).

Conclusions: The service reduced medication error and the findings allowed a permanent pharmacy service to be introduced.

Keywords: emergency department; errors; pharmacy; safety.