Abstract

MEDICAL PRESCRIPTION: ERRORS DETECTED IN NATIONAL HEALTH INSURANCE CENTRAL HOSPITAL OF ASUNCIÓN PARAGUAY

Gladys Mabel Maidana, Blanca Molinas de Pereira, Gustavo H. Marin, Gladys Lugo, Lourdes Samaniego, Zully Vera

ABSTRACT

This paper aims to describe errors in medical prescriptions (EMP) issued by various medical professionals and the interventions in the Pharmacy of the Central Hospital of the Social Security Institute (HC-IPS) of Paraguay. It is a descriptive observational in which the main variable was the identification of prescriptions with medication error. The method employed was the analysis of medical prescriptions issued by professionals that work in the 10 sites of medical care available in the institution. The research was conducted reviewing 13,923 prescriptions performed from 10/01/14 to 31/12/14. The total amounts of 1,085 EMP were detected, according to the data-sheet used for this purpose. The most common type of errors detected were prescription of a product without efficacy and because of that no included in the institution stock (39.7%), drugs no included in the institution list (16.1%), code errors (13.5%), not included in valid protocols (13.1%), duplication of drug prescriptions (12.9%) and 4.2% inappropriate doses. The result of the study indicates that the high prevalence of errors detected was due to the lack of communication between medical doctors and pharmacists before the prescription, and the lack of knowledge of the basic drugs list of the Institution mainly by young physicians.

Keywords: prescription; medication errors, medical practice.