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Outpatient Prescription Errors: Detection, Analysis, and Impact on Safety

Outpatient Prescription Errors: Detection, Analysis, and Impact on Safety

Status
Completed
Phases
Unknown
Study type
Observational
Source
ClinicalTrials.gov
Registry ID
NCT00256568
Enrollment
103
Registered
2005-11-21
Start date
2003-09-30
Completion date
2008-08-31
Last updated
2011-12-15

For informational purposes only — not medical advice. Sourced from public registries and may not reflect the latest updates. Terms

Conditions

Medication Errors

Keywords

Medical Errors, Medication Errors, Prescriptions, Drug, Pharmacies, Ambulatory Care Facilities

Brief summary

The purpose of this study is to better understand outpatient prescribing errors through clinic and pharmacy-based error reporting systems.

Detailed description

Medication errors cause substantial morbidity and mortality in the United States. However, relatively little is known about medication errors in the outpatient setting. The broad goal of this proposal is to improve outpatient safety. Specifically, this research plan promotes the understanding of the causes of outpatient prescription errors. The specific aims of this project are: 1. To develop and evaluate a novel reporting system in physicians' offices for detecting prescription errors 2. To develop and evaluate a novel improvement system in community pharmacies to increase prescription error reporting by pharmacists 3. To analyze reports of outpatient prescription errors and understand their root causes To achieve these specific aims, statewide research will be conducted utilizing qualitative and quantitative methods including root cause analysis, failure mode and effects analysis, and surveys. This research plan will promote patient safety by furthering the understanding of the causes of outpatient prescription errors in all outpatient populations, including rural, women, children, elderly, low income, and the chronically ill.

Interventions

BEHAVIORALreporting system

Nurses and office staff were asked to report all communications with community pharmacists regarding prescription problems

Sponsors

Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ)
CollaboratorFED
Vermont Program for Quality in Health Care
CollaboratorOTHER
University of Vermont
Lead SponsorOTHER

Study design

Observational model
COHORT
Time perspective
PROSPECTIVE

Eligibility

Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to No maximum
Healthy volunteers
Yes

Inclusion criteria

* Employed in a physician's office or community pharmacy

Exclusion criteria

* Not employed in a physician's office or community pharmacy

Countries

United States

Outcome results

None listed

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Data processed: Feb 4, 2026