[Analysis of errors in manual versus electronic prescriptions in trauma patients]

Abstract

Objective: To detect, quantify, and compare the medication error produced with manual versus electronically assisted prescription systems.

Methods: A descriptive, observational, prospective study in two traumatology hospitalisation units; one with manual prescriptions and the other with electronically assisted prescriptions. Prescription errors were determined.

Results: We analysed 1,536 lines of treatment (393 treatment forms) from 164 patients. With manual prescriptions, we detected errors in 19.54% of cases, compared to 9.4% in electronically assisted prescriptions. Omission errors were significantly lower with electronically assisted prescriptions, especially with drugs that act upon the central nervous system.

Conclusions: Prescription error has decreased by 53% since computerising the prescription process. This is particularly useful for omission errors, as prescription is more complete. The decrease in error regarding drugs that act on the central nervous system stands out.