How To Improve Pharmacy Dispensing Accuracy

Preventable medication error is a leading cause of mortality in the United States, with more than one-fifth of all errors caused by inaccuracies and oversights during the pharmacy dispensing process. Finding effective ways to improve dispensing accuracy ensures that pharmacies will able to better serve their patients while reducing the risk of filling prescriptions with the wrong medication or dosage. From creating and maintaining a more orderly workplace environment to providing comprehensive patient counseling for each and every prescription filled, there are numerous ways to ensure that the dispensing process can be done more safely and accurately.

Creating an Orderly and Well Organized Working Environment

Working environments that are poorly designed can lead to no end of problems and complications. Environmental issues that may contribute to greater instances of dispensing errors frequently include:

1. Lack of proper lighting.

2. Inadequate counter space.

3. Less than comfortable interior temperatures.

Working conditions that are disorderly or uncomfortable can blunt focus and increase instances of dispensing errors. More comfortable working conditions, environments designed to optimize efficiency and a workflow process specifically created to minimize the risk of oversights and errors can all make a substantial difference. Overlooking the importance of creating and maintaining a more orderly and organized working environment often means that other efforts to improve accuracy or eliminate medication errors may be met with only limited success.

Confirm Prescriptions at Multiple Points Throughout the Process

Comparing written prescriptions and confirming medications should be done multiple times at all points throughout the dispensing process. The most consistent and accurate workflow processes are those that check and recheck prescriptions during:

1. Order entry.

2. Label printing.

3. Medication filling.

Verification provided by a different person can further reduce inaccuracies caused by confirmation bias. Delaying self-checking rather than making multiple confirmations within a short period of time can be an effective strategy when third-party verification is not possible.

Avoiding Dosage Errors Due to Abbreviations, Decimals, and Zeros

Inaccuracies and errors caused by misplaced zero and decimal points are among the most common mistakes made by pharmacies. Transcription and interpretation resulting in a misplaced decimal point often find patients receiving ten times the prescribed dose of a medication. Such errors can easily lead to serious and potentially life-threatening consequences. Computer alerts, additional verification redundancy or stocking only a single strength of certain medications can greatly reduce dispensing errors caused by misplaced zeros and decimal points.

Reducing Stress and Eliminating Distractions

Stress, fatigue, and repetitive workflow processes can greatly increase mistakes, oversights and errors. Improving dispensing accuracy and consistency by decreasing worker stress may be done using any of the following methods:

1. Having enough staff to keep up with demand.

2. Encouraging pharmacy workers to take breaks more frequently.

3. Reducing the length of scheduled shifts.

Employees who are more relaxed and alert will be able to perform their duties with greater accuracy and consistency.

Providing Comprehensive Patient Counseling

Providing thorough and comprehensive patient counseling services each time a prescription is filled is perhaps the single most effective way to improve dispensing accuracy. The patient counseling process provides an additional opportunity for pharmacy workers to identify oversights and mistakes that would otherwise have escaped notice as well as ensuring all patients are given the information and education they need. Failing to provide counseling services for any reason may lead to more frequent instances of preventable medication errors.