Patients’ Medication Errors

2013 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
pp. 44-50 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vahideh Zarea Gavgani ◽  
Mina Mahami Oskouei ◽  
Rezvanyieh Salehi

Patients’ awareness and informed involvement may reduce the prevalence of patients’ errors. The aim of this study is to identify the occurrence of patients’ medication errors in one of the leading tertiary care educational superspeciality hospitals in Iran during one year from October 2010 to October 2011. This is a retrospective study. Patients’ medical records were investigated to identify the reported errors in taking medication. A total of 140 medical records of patients who were hospitalized in Madani Heart Hospital of Tabriz University of Medical Sciences were investigated. Then the errors were categorized into three groups including: Reporting, Recklessness/ adherence, and Preference. Descriptive analysis was used to analyze data. Out of total 140 patients’ records, 16 (11%) patient medication errors were identified. Most of these errors were related to communication and reporting followed by non-adherence to the medication prescriptions. The least errors were related to patients’ preference. The study suggests that these errors could have been prevented by involving patients in decision making and self-care through information prescription.

2015 ◽  
pp. 1081-1087 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vahideh Zarea Gavgani ◽  
Mina Mahami Oskouei ◽  
Rezvanyieh Salehi

Patients' awareness and informed involvement may reduce the prevalence of patients' errors. The aim of this study is to identify the occurrence of patients' medication errors in one of the leading tertiary care educational superspeciality hospitals in Iran during one year from October 2010 to October 2011. This is a retrospective study. Patients' medical records were investigated to identify the reported errors in taking medication. A total of 140 medical records of patients who were hospitalized in Madani Heart Hospital of Tabriz University of Medical Sciences were investigated. Then the errors were categorized into three groups including: Reporting, Recklessness/ adherence, and Preference. Descriptive analysis was used to analyze data. Out of total 140 patients' records, 16 (11%) patient medication errors were identified. Most of these errors were related to communication and reporting followed by non-adherence to the medication prescriptions. The least errors were related to patients' preference. The study suggests that these errors could have been prevented by involving patients in decision making and self-care through information prescription.


Author(s):  
S. B. Gupta ◽  
Meenakshi Singh ◽  
Atul Kr. Singh ◽  
Huma Khan ◽  
Alpana Saxena

Background: India was the first country in the world to have launched a National Programme for Family Planning.Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive study was carried out in the in Vaccination unit of rural field practice area of Shri Ram Murti Smarak institute of Medical Sciences (SRMSIMS) Bareilly (U.P). Objective of the study was to assess knowledge and practice of postpartum contraception and factors affecting the usage of contraceptives in Rural area. All females who delivered within last one year were included in the study. A pre-structured questionnaire was used. A total of 98 females were included. The appropriate statistical analysis was done to present the results.Results: 28.57% females had adopted one or the other postpartum contraceptive measure. Condom was the most common method used. Usage of postpartum contraception was significantly associated with women’s and husband’s education, type of delivery and availing of antenatal and postnatal visits.Conclusions: Overall usage of postpartum contraception was low there is need to focus at every step to contact of these women with health facility or health workers.


2011 ◽  
pp. 1017-1029
Author(s):  
William Claster ◽  
Nader Ghotbi ◽  
Subana Shanmuganathan

There is a treasure trove of hidden information in the textual and narrative data of medical records that can be deciphered by text-mining techniques. The information provided by these methods can provide a basis for medical artificial intelligence and help support or improve clinical decision making by medical doctors. In this paper we extend previous work in an effort to extract meaningful information from free text medical records. We discuss a methodology for the analysis of medical records using some statistical analysis and the Kohonen Self-Organizing Map (SOM). The medical data derive from about 700 pediatric patients’ radiology department records where CT (Computed Tomography) scanning was used as part of a diagnostic exploration. The patients underwent CT scanning (single and multiple) throughout a one-year period in 2004 at the Nagasaki University Medical Hospital. Our approach led to a model based on SOM clusters and statistical analysis which may suggest a strategy for limiting CT scan requests. This is important because radiation at levels ordinarily used for CT scanning may pose significant health risks especially to children.


2014 ◽  
Vol 2014 ◽  
pp. 1-9
Author(s):  
Mansi Patel ◽  
Anuradha Joshi ◽  
Jalpa Suthar ◽  
Soaham Desai

Background.Dementia is one of the most frequent disorders among elderly patients, reaching to epidemic proportions with an estimated 4.6 million new cases globally annually. Partially effective treatments are available for dementia.Aims & Objectives.We aim to study drugs used in dementia and find out frequency of types of Dementia.Method.This was an observational study conducted at rurally based tertiary care hospital. Prospective data was collected from outpatient department, while retrospective data was collected from medical records. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze data.Result.Total 125 prescriptions of patients diagnosed with dementia were analyzed. Alzheimer’s dementia was most common (65.6%), followed by vascular dementia (21.6%), and frontotemporal dementia (10.4%), with the rarest being Lewy body dementia in (2.4%) cases. 60.57% of patients were males. Mini Mental Score Examination mean score was 15.93 ± 1.37. Frontal Battery Assessment mean score was 4.75 ± 1.01. Prescribed drugs were Donepezil (68.49%), Rivastigmine (13.63%), Donepezil + Memantine (6.43%) and Galantamine (12.83%), Quetiapine (38.46%), Lorazepam (23.07%), Clozapine (11.53%), Escitalopram (10.25%), Haloperidol (3.84%), Zolpidem, Sertraline, Olanzepine (2.56%), Nitrazepine, Lamotrigine, Fluoxetine, Tianeptine (1.28%), Folic acid, and Vitamin B12, respectively.Conclusion.Alzheimer’s is the most common type of dementia while Donepezil was the most frequent drug.


2018 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
pp. 31-34
Author(s):  
Shreedhar Acharya ◽  
Bhaktabatsal Raut

AIM: This study was done to find out the incidence and to analyse the various indications for caesarean sections at Lumbini Zonal Hospital.MATERIALS & METHODS: This was a hospital based retrospective study done at Lumbini Zonal Hospital, Butwal. The case files of all the women who had caesarean delivery over the period of one year from 2071/4/1 to 2072/3/32 were reviewed. Various indications of caesarean sections were analysed for the incidence, age, parity, elective vs emergency caesareans.RESULTS: Out of 7589 deliveries, 1316 (17.34%) had caesarean section. Most common indications were previous caesarean 275 (20.89%), non progress of labour 245 (18.61%), cephalopelvic disproportion 222 (16.86%), fetal distress 215 (16.33%), etc. Majority of caesarean 1226 (93.16%) was done in the age group of 20-30yrs, primipara 702 (53.34%), and elective caesarean sections 766 (58.2%).CONCLUSION: Caesarean section rate at Lumbini Zonal Hospital was optimal. Most common indication was repeat caesarean. The overall reduction in caesarean section rate can be met through reduction of elective caesarean with the promotion of trial of labour.Study also concludes that there is a relation between working duration and health problems, and the problems increase as the duration at work increases.Journal of Universal College of Medical Sciences, Vol. 5, No, 2, 2017, Page: 31-34


Author(s):  
Satish Chandel ◽  
Niket Rai ◽  
Sadashivam Balakrishnan ◽  
Ratinder Jhaj ◽  
Akash Vishwe ◽  
...  

AbstractBackgroundFixed-dose combinations (FDCs) are being widely prescribed for the treatment of various disorders in India. However, not all FDCs are rational. To know the awareness of physicians in prescribing rational FDCs was the need of the hour in order to assess the prescribing trends and rationality of FDCs. Eventually, this will help to formulate the guideline for rational use of FDCs.MethodsThis was a prospective observational study conducted in All India Institute of Medical Sciences Bhopal, MP, India. Prescriptions were collected over a period of 2 months by the convenience sampling method from hospital pharmacy. The data were subjected to descriptive analysis using Microsoft Excel and Graph Pad Prism. Results were expressed in mean ± standard deviation (SD), percentages and 95% confidence interval.ResultsA total of 2496 drugs were prescribed in 1008 prescriptions, of which 945 (37.82%) were FDCs with an average of 0.93 ± 0.94 (mean ± SD) per prescription. Of 945, 67 (7.09%) were included in National List of Essential Medicine 2015 considered as rational. The number of prescriptions containing one or more FDCs was 629 (62.40%). FDCs were more frequently prescribed to male patients (54.92%) and in the age group of 18–30 years (33.44%). FDCs containing a proton pump inhibitor were prescribed most frequently (16.29%) followed by nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (13.96%) and multivitamins (7.83%).ConclusionsPrescribing irrational FDCs was very common, and hence there is an obvious need to update our prescribers about the irrationality of FDC and motivate them to develop a habit of rational prescribing.


Author(s):  
Bangunawati Rahajeng ◽  
Zullies Ikawati ◽  
Tri Murti Andayani ◽  
Iwan Dwiprahasto

Objective: Anticonvulsant is one class of drugs often used off-label. This study was conducted to investigate the prevalence and the indication of the off-label use of anticonvulsants in a private hospital in Java, Indonesia.Methods: This was an observational study with a retrospective data collection in a private hospital in Java. Data were obtained on the prescription of anticonvulsants. Indications of the use of anticonvulsants were obtained from the medical records of patients who were prescribed anticonvulsants. The off-label use of anticonvulsants was defined a prescribing of medication outside the indication approved by The National Agency of Drug and Food Control Indonesia (NA-DFC). The use off-label of anticonvulsants was calculated by descriptive analysis and presented as a percentage.Results: It showed that in one year there were 5,310 for 1,316 patients: of this 462 patients (35.11%) were for an off-label use. The anticonvulsants used off-label were oxcarbazepine 67.27% (37/55), carbamazepine 46.15% (54/117), pregabalin45.45% (60/132), phenytoin37.62% (225/598), valproate 25.34% (37/109), and gabapentin 18.28% (49/219). The highest off-label use of anticonvulsants was found in neurological and psychiatric disorders 67.32% (n=311), and on 97.19% of them were not supported by strong clinical evidence.Conclusion: The off-label use of anticonvulsants occurred in one-third of patients receiving prescriptions of anticonvulsants, even though for most of them there was a lack of evidence. More attention must be paid to the efficacy and risk of side effects of the drug used.


2018 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. 11-13
Author(s):  
Rajesh Poudel ◽  
Santosh Shah ◽  
Kailash Chandra ◽  
Saroj Pradhan ◽  
Pravin Joshi

Introduction: Despite advances in surgical technique, antimicrobial therapy and perioperative care morbidity and mortality in perforated peritonitis is still high.   Aim of this study was to highlight the clinical presentation, intra operative findings and postoperative complications and mortality among patient who has undergone emergency surgery for perforated peritonitis in tertiary care center in western Nepal.Materials and Methods: This was a retrospective descriptive study carried out in Universal College of Medical Sciences, Bhairawha, Nepal. All patients who underwent emergency exploratory laparotomy for perforated peritonitis in one year period (from April 2014 to March 2015) were included in the study.Results: Total 90 cases met inclusion criteria and were analyzed. Most common presenting symptom was pain abdomen. Pneumoperitoneum was seen in 86 (95.6%) patients. Most common site of perforation was prepyloric perforation followed by duodenum. Most common cause of perforation was Acid peptic disease. Most common surgical procedure performed was Omentopexy. There were total of 11 (12.2%)mortality.Conclusion: The spectrum of perforation peritonitis in our study differs from western countries whereas it is similar to that of other research from Indian subcontinent. Majority of perforations are noticed in the duodenum and stomach due to acid-peptic disease and small bowel typhoid followed by trauma. Overall mortality was seen in 12.2%.Journal of Universal College of Medical ScienceVol. 6, No. 1, 2018, Page: 11-13


2017 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 12-19
Author(s):  
T.K. Aich ◽  
S. Shah ◽  
S Subedi

Introduction: Few studies are available till date on the pattern of neuro-psychiatric illnesses in geriatric population in Nepal.Objective: The study was aimed to know the demographic and clinical profiles of geriatric outpatients in our neuropsychiatry OPD.Method: This study was conducted at the Department of Psychiatry, Universal College of Medical Sciences-Teaching Hospital (UCMS-TH), Bhairahawa, Nepal. We screened through our ‘OPD case registrar’, which maintains few demographic and clinical data of all the new and old cases registered daily in the OPD. Socio-demographic and clinical data of all the patients in the age of 60 years and above were noted in a data sheet specially designed for the present study. This is a retrospective study by chart review. Descriptive analysis of these data were undertaken by using simple frequency distribution.Result: During the one year study period total number of new patients registered were 3711. Two-hundred and fifty-seven (6.9%) among them were in the geriatric age group (≥60 years age). Psychoses form the biggest diagnostic entity with 71 patients (27.6%) followed by Depression in 39 patients (15.2%), Chronic headache in 33 (12.8%), Alcohol Dependence Syndrome in 27 (10.5%), Anxiety disorders in 25 (9.7%) and Dementia in 23 (8.9%) elderly patients. We also recorded 11 patients (4.3%) with symptoms of Mania. ‘Psychosis’ and ‘Depression’, were more represented amongst female elderly while ‘Alcohol dependence’ and ‘Mania’ and were more frequently prevailed among male elderly patient population.Conclusion: Present study is expected to add some more light on this sub-specialty in Psychiatry and hope to induce more interest among young researchers to carry our further research among geriatric psychiatric patients in Nepal.


2019 ◽  
Vol 29 (3) ◽  
pp. 513-521
Author(s):  
Jose A. Delgado Rodríguez ◽  
Maria I. Pastor García ◽  
Cristina Gómez Cobo ◽  
Antonia R. Pons Más ◽  
Isabel Llompart Alabern ◽  
...  

Introduction: Communication of laboratory critical risk results is essential for patient safety, as it allows early decision making. Our aims were: 1) to retrospectively evaluate the current protocol for telephone notification of critical risk results in terms of rates, efficiency and recipient satisfaction, 2) to assess their use in clinical decision making and 3) to suggest alternative tools for a better assessment of notification protocols. Materials and methods: The biochemical critical risk result notifications reported during 12 months by routine and STAT laboratories in a tertiary care hospital were reviewed. Total number of reports, time for the notification and main magnitudes with critical risk results were calculated. The use of notifications in clinical decision making was assessed by reviewing medical records. Satisfaction with the notification protocol was assessed through an online questionnaire to requesting physicians and nurses. Results: Critical result was yielded by 0.1% of total laboratory tests. Median time for notification was 3.2 min (STAT) and 16.9 min (routine). The magnitudes with a greater number of critical results were glucose and potassium for routine analyses, and troponin, sodium for STAT. Most notifications were not reflected in the medical records. Overall mean satisfaction with the protocol was 4.2/5. Conclusion: The results obtained indicate that the current protocol is appropriate. Nevertheless, there are some limitations that hamper the evaluation of the impact on clinical decision making. Alternatives were proposed for a proper and precise evaluation.


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