Special features

Electronic prescribing improves patient safety — an audit

By Andrew Barker, MRPharmS, and Julie Kay, MRPharmS

Implementation of an electronic prescribing system in an acute trust has been shown to reduce adverse drug events. This article summarises the audit findings

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Andrew Barker is clinical director of pharmacy and medicines management

Julie Kay is consultant pharmacist

Both at Doncaster and Bassetlaw Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.

SUMMARY

In 2003, after an initial pilot period, Doncaster and Bassetlaw Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust implemented a computerised system of prescribing, clinical pharmacy activities and medicines administration on a four-ward medical unit at Montagu Hospital, Mexborough.

The software application was provided by JAC and incorporates clinical decision support using the Multilex Drug Data File, supplied by First DataBank Europe. The system was selected because we considered it to be the most advanced of its type available in the UK, and it is compatible with the JAC pharmacy system already in use at the trust.

An audit was undertaken during which the impact of the system on prescribing decisions and adverse drug events was monitored.

Full text article PDF (50K)