4CPS-009 Resolution of electronic prescribing errors after intervention from a specialised hospital pharmacist or non-specialised hospital pharmacist: a retrospective cross-sectional study

<h3>Background and Importance</h3> Pharmacists, integrated in the medical team on the ward, improve medication safety. However, when this specialised hospital pharmacist is not available, the pharmaceutical care will be conducted by another, non-specialised hospital pharmacist with less clinical experience for that specific patient group. It is unknown if advice from a specialised hospital pharmacist results in the resolution of prescribing errors more often than advice given by non-specialised hospital pharmacists. Furthermore, it is unknown whether other characteristics of the hospital pharmacists as well as characteristics of the prescriber, patient, drug or the intervention itself are associated with the resolution of prescribing errors. <h3>Aim and Objectives</h3> The aim was to compare the resolution rate of prescribing errors between specialised hospital pharmacists and non-specialised hospital pharmacists. Furthermore, we investigated whether other characteristics of the pharmacists, the prescriber, patient, drug or intervention itself were associated with the resolution rate. <h3>Material and Methods</h3> A retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted to assess the resolution of prescribing errors, based on the analysis of electronic prescriptions. Prescriptions for all inpatients were collected in June 2021. To identify prescribing errors, a medical doctor and hospital pharmacist analysed all alerts that were retained to be checked by a pharmacist. A prescribing error was defined as an alert that required intervention of the pharmacist to prevent harm or to optimise therapy. Resolution of a prescribing error was defined as resolution of the error within 24 hours after detection. <h3>Results</h3> In total<b>,</b> 145,574 medication prescriptions were analysed and 448 prescribing errors were detected. 94.0% of the prescribing errors were resolved within 24 hours. No differences were found between the resolution rates of specialised and non-specialised hospital pharmacists (94.4% versus 91.9%, p=0,145 (Chi-squared test)). No other characteristics of the pharmacist, prescriber, patient, the drug involved, or the intervention itself were associated with the resolution of the prescribing error. <h3>Conclusion and Relevance</h3> After implementation of specialised pharmacists on the ward the vast majority of the prescribing errors are resolved. In the absence of the specialised pharmacists, the resolution rate remains high in this setting. The high resolution rate gives ground for the integration of a hospital pharmacist in the medical team on the ward. <h3>References and/or Acknowledgements</h3> <h3>Conflict of Interest</h3> No conflict of interest