Impact of computerised chemotherapy prescriptions on the prevention of medication errors

Evaluation of clinical decision support systems in oncology: An updated systematic review

With increasing reliance on technology in oncology, the impact of digital clinical decision support (CDS) tools needs to be examined. A systematic review update was conducted and peer-reviewed literature from 2016 to 2022 were included if CDS tools were used for live decision making and comparatively assessed quantitative outcomes. 3369 studies were screened and 19 were included in this updated review. Combined with a previous review of 24 studies, a total of 43 studies were analyzed. Improvements in outcomes were observed in 42 studies, and 34 of these were of statistical significance. Computerized physician order entry and clinical practice guideline systems comprise the greatest number of evaluated CDS tools (13 and 10 respectively), followed by those that utilize patient-reported outcomes (8), clinical pathway systems (8) and prescriber alerts for best-practice advisories (4). Our review indicates that CDS can improve guideline adherence, patient-centered care, and care delivery processes in oncology.

Computer programs used in the field of hospital pharmacy for the management of dangerous drugs: systematic review of literature

Background

This review wants to highlight the importance of computer programs used to control the steps in the management of dangerous drugs. It must be taken into account that there are phases in the process of handling dangerous medicines in pharmacy services that pose a risk to the healthcare personnel who handle them. Objective: To review the scientific literature to determine what computer programs have been used in the field of hospital pharmacy for the management of dangerous drugs (HDs).

Methods

The following electronic databases were searched from inception to July 30, 2021: MEDLINE (via PubMed), Embase, Cochrane Library, Scopus, Web of Science, Latin American and Caribbean Literature in Health Sciences (LILACS) and Medicine in Spanish (MEDES). The following terms were used in the search strategy: "Antineoplastic Agents," "Cytostatic Agents," "Hazardous Substances," "Medical Informatics Applications," "Mobile Applications," "Software," "Software Design," and "Pharmacy Service, Hospital."

Results

A total of 104 studies were retrieved form the databases, and 18 additional studies were obtained by manually searching the reference lists of the included studies and by consulting experts. Once the inclusion and exclusion criteria were applied, 26 studies were ultimately included in this review. Most of the applications described in the included studies were used for the management of antineoplastic drugs. The most commonly controlled stage was electronic prescription; 18 studies and 7 interventions carried out in the preparation stage focused on evaluating the accuracy of chemotherapy preparations.

Conclusion

Antineoplastic electronic prescription software was the most widely implemented software at the hospital level. No software was found to control the entire HD process. Only one of the selected studies measured safety events in workers who handle HDs. Moreover, health personnel were found to be satisfied with the implementation of this type of technology for daily work with these medications. All studies reviewed herein considered patient safety as their final objective. However, none of the studies evaluated the risk of HD exposure among workers.

Workforce challenges across Victorian medical oncology services

BACKGROUND

Cancer incidence is growing, with increasing treatment options and durations. This has led to an increase workload on the current oncology workforce. The global pandemic has increased this pressure further.

AIMS

To determine the current medical oncology workforce in Victoria, current shortfalls and future anticipated shortfalls beyond the COVID-19 pandemic.

METHODS

A self-reported, cross-sectional observational study of all current adult Victorian cancer services in June 2020 examining workforce, workload and early effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.

RESULTS

The current average workload of 242 new patients per full-time equivalent consultant in medical oncology across Victoria. This is higher than optimal to deliver a safe and efficient cancer service. The significant variation in workforce between sites highlights the areas in need of most urgent resource allocation. Use of safe prescribing practises such as electronic chemotherapy prescribing are not universal but urgently needed.

CONCLUSIONS

The medical oncology workforce in Victoria is inadequate to meet current and future demands. This needs to be addressed urgently to avoid an adverse impact on cancer measures and quality standards. Better, standardised data collection is needed to allow for ongoing measures of workforce activity. Novel workforce solutions will also need to be implemented in the short and medium term in the face of global workforce shortages.

Impact of Computerized Provider Order Entry on Chemotherapy Medication Errors: A Systematic Review

Context: Chemotherapy errors are considered the second most common cause of fatal medication errors (ME). Currently, computerized provider order entry (CPOE) is increasingly used to prevent or decrease ME and improve the safety of the medication process. Objectives: This study was conducted to systematically review the impacts of CPOE on the incidence of chemotherapy ME, the severity of errors, and adverse drug events (ADEs) in cancer care units. Data Sources: The literature search was conducted, using 5 databases of PubMed, EMBASE, Scopus, Web of Science, and ScienceDirect between 2000 and 2020. Search terms included keywords and MESH terms related to CPOE, ME, chemotherapy, and cancer care unit. Study Selection: Articles were included in this research if they investigated the CPOE system, reported ME, and were carried out in the oncology department. Non-English papers, duplications, review studies, and conference papers were excluded. Data Extraction: The selected papers were read repeatedly and related papers were extracted. All eligible articles were qualitatively evaluated with a tool provided by Downs. The extracted information included the author’s name, year of publication, study location, type of study, study objectives, and main findings. Results: A total of 829 studies were retrieved. Fourteen articles met the inclusion criteria. Ten studies (71%) reported the impact of CPOE on chemotherapy ME in comparison with the paper-based ordering method. In 4 studies (29%), researchers developed a CPOE for the oncology department, and the system was, then, assessed concerning user experience, safety challenges as well as the effects of CPOE on ME. Nine articles (64%) reported the impact of the CPOE system on ME only in the prescribing phase, and 5 studies (36%) examined ME in all phases of the chemotherapy process. Five studies (36%) reported the impact of the CPOE system on ADEs and the severity of errors. Conclusions: Implementing CPOE is associated with a significant reduction in ME in all phases of the chemotherapy process. However, the CPOE does not prevent all MEs and may cause new errors. The rigorous analysis of the chemotherapy process and considering the designing principles could help develop the CPOE systems and minimize ME.

ChemoPalRx-A Mobile App That Enhances Chemotherapy Prescription Accuracy: A Cross-Sectional Study

PURPOSE

ChemoPalRx is a novel provider order entry mobile application for chemotherapy. This study aims to evaluate the accuracy of prescribing chemotherapy using ChemoPalRx versus handwritten orders at a safety-net hospital in Los Angeles.

METHODS

In a cross-sectional study from October 2019 to December 2019, we evaluated all outpatient chemotherapy orders for accuracy. Our primary predictor was type of prescription, dichotomized as handwritten or ChemoPalRx. Primary outcome was accuracy, dichotomized as accurate if no error was made on an order and as inaccurate if any error was made. Preplanned subgroup analyses were performed with covariates including provider experience, complexity of order, and day of order submission. We characterized error type and analyzed our data using univariate and multivariate logistic regression models.

RESULTS

Among 288 orders (78.5% handwritten; 21.5% ChemoPalRx), prescription accuracy was higher among ChemoPalRx (93.5%) compared with handwritten orders (81.4%; P = .012). In multivariate analysis, prescription accuracy remained superior for ChemoPalRx after adjusting for provider experience, complexity of order, and day of order submission (adjusted odds ratio, 1.82; P = .012). Compared with handwritten orders, ChemoPalRx orders had less missing or incorrect information (1.6% v 13.7%; P = .0016). ChemoPalRx orders were also more accurate on prescriptions that contained two or fewer medications (92.2% v 80.2%; P = .032), submitted on the highest patient-volume clinic day of the week (96.7% v 83.2%; P = .035), and generated by a senior fellow or an attending (97.3% v 76.9%; P = .001).

CONCLUSION

ChemoPalRx is associated with improved chemotherapy prescription accuracy over handwritten orders in the safety-net hospital setting and may serve as an alternative prescribing tool for oncology practices.

Impact of computerised physician order entry (CPOE) on the incidence of chemotherapy-related medication errors: a systematic review

Purpose

Computerised prescriber (or physician) order entry (CPOE) implementation is one of the strategies to reduce medication errors. The extent to which CPOE influences the incidence of chemotherapy-related medication errors (CMEs) was not previously collated and systematically reviewed. Hence, this study was designed to collect, collate, and systematically review studies to evaluate the effect of CPOE on the incidence of CMEs.

Methods

A search was performed of four databases from 1 January 1995 until 1 August 2019. English-language studies evaluating the effect of CPOE on CMEs were selected as per inclusion and exclusion criteria. The total CMEs normalised to total prescriptions pre- and post-CPOE were extracted and collated to perform a meta-analysis using the ‘meta’ package in R. The systematic review was registered with PROSPERO CRD42018104220.

Results

The database search identified 1621 studies. After screening, 19 studies were selected for full-text review, of which 11 studies fulfilled the selection criteria. The meta-analysis of eight studies with a random effects model showed a risk ratio of 0.19 (95% confidence interval: 0.08–0.44) favouring CPOE (I² = 99%).

Conclusion

The studies have shown consistent reduction in CMEs after CPOE implementation, except one study that showed an increase in CMEs. The random effects model in the meta-analysis of eight studies showed that CPOE implementation reduced CMEs by 81%.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s00228-021-03099-9.

A Systematic Review of Clinical Decision Support Systems for Clinical Oncology Practice

BACKGROUND

Electronic health records are central to cancer care delivery. Electronic clinical decision support (CDS) systems can potentially improve cancer care quality and safety. However, little is known regarding the use of CDS systems in clinical oncology and their impact on patient outcomes.

METHODS

A systematic review of peer-reviewed studies was performed to evaluate clinically relevant outcomes related to the use of CDS tools for the diagnosis, treatment, and supportive care of patients with cancer. Peer-reviewed studies published from 1995 through 2016 were included if they assessed clinical outcomes, patient-reported outcomes (PROs), costs, or care delivery process measures.

RESULTS

Electronic database searches yielded 2,439 potentially eligible papers, with 24 studies included after final review. Most studies used an uncontrolled, pre-post intervention design. A total of 23 studies reported improvement in key study outcomes with use of oncology CDS systems, and 12 studies assessing the systems for computerized chemotherapy order entry demonstrated reductions in prescribing error rates, medication-related safety events, and workflow interruptions. The remaining studies examined oncology clinical pathways, guideline adherence, systems for collection and communication of PROs, and prescriber alerts.

CONCLUSIONS

There is a paucity of data evaluating clinically relevant outcomes of CDS system implementation in oncology care. Currently available data suggest that these systems can have a positive impact on the quality of cancer care delivery. However, there is a critical need to rigorously evaluate CDS systems in oncology to better understand how they can be implemented to improve patient outcomes.

Chemotherapy medication errors

Although chemotherapy is a well established treatment modality, chemotherapy errors represent a potentially serious risk of patient harm. We reviewed published research from 1980 to 2017 to understand the extent and nature of medication errors in cancer chemotherapy, and to identify effective interventions to help prevent mistakes. Chemotherapy errors occur at a rate of about one to four per 1000 orders, affect at least 1-3% of adult and paediatric oncology patients, and occur at all stages of the medication use process. Oral chemotherapy use is a particular area of growing risk. Our knowledge of chemotherapy errors is drawn primarily from single-institution studies at university hospitals and referral centres, with a particular focus on prescription orders and pharmacy practices. Although the heterogeneity of research methods and measures used in these studies limits our understanding of this issue, the rate of chemotherapy error-related injuries is generally lower than those seen in comparable studies of general medical patients. Although many interventions show promise in reducing chemotherapy errors, most have little empirical support. Additional research is needed to understand and to mitigate the risk of chemotherapy medication errors.

Implementation of an integrated computerized prescriber order-entry system for chemotherapy in a multisite safety-net health system

PURPOSE

The development of a computerized prescriber order-entry (CPOE) system for chemotherapy in a multisite safety-net health system and the challenges to its successful implementation are described.

SUMMARY

Before CPOE for chemotherapy was first implemented and embedded in the electronic medical record system of Harris Health System (HHS), pharmacy personnel relied on regimen-specific preprinted order sets. However, due to differences in practice styles and workflow logistics, the paper orders across the 3 facilities were mostly site specific, with varying clinical content. Many of these order sets had not been approved by the oncology subcommittee. In addition, disparities in clinical knowledge and lack of communication contributed to inconsistencies in order set development. Led by medical directors from medical oncology departments at the 3 facilities, pharmacy administrators, and information technology representatives, HHS committed resources to supporting the adoption and use of a CPOE system for chemotherapy. Five practical lessons of broad applicability have been learned: engagement of interprofessional stakeholders, optimization of workflow before CPOE implementation, requirement of verification tool for CPOE, consolidation of protocols, and commitment to ongoing training and support. Evaluation of the CPOE system demonstrated a systemwide reduction in medication errors by 75% (p < 0.05). Satisfaction with the CPOE system varied among sites and was unchanged institutionwide 6 months after the CPOE implementation.

CONCLUSION

The development and implementation of CPOE for chemotherapy at a multisite safety-net health system created opportunities to optimize patient care and reduce variations through interprofessional collaborations. Initial evaluation suggested that CPOE reduced the medication-order error rate and improved user satisfaction in 1 of 3 facilities.

Implementation of Computerized Physician Order Entry for Chemotherapy: A Latin American Experience

PURPOSE

We describe the implementation process of a computerized physician order entry (CPOE) for outpatient chemotherapy at a Latin American hospital, with the intent of providing other institutions with general guidance and insight through our experience.

METHODS

In 2012, under the direction of the Department of Medicine of the Instituto Nacional de Enfermedades Neoplásicas, a multidisciplinary team composed of oncologists, nurses, pharmacists, and informatics engineers was formed to develop software for a CPOE for chemotherapy within a preexistent homegrown electronic medical record system in various phases. This included mapping and redesigning processes in an entirely electronic format, integrating the needs of the user for the development of electronic order sets, developing a checkpoint and a warning system to minimize prescription errors, and finally, training all the staff in implementation of the system.

RESULTS

A CPOE for outpatient chemotherapy was successfully implemented in 2016. We have successfully standardized 266 chemotherapy orders, including for both solid tumors and hematologic malignancies, on the basis of appropriate guidelines. The software is linked to laboratory results and allows entry of important details for the patient's safety, such as anthropometric information for an automatic dose calculation and ranges for safe prescription. In addition, it is linked to the nursing plan sheets. Finally, it is possible to assess and continuously monitor the complex process of chemotherapy prescription.

CONCLUSION

This is the first report of implementation of a CPOE for chemotherapy in our region. The system was designed by a multidisciplinary team with its own resources. Our experience demonstrates the feasibility of computerizing the chemotherapy prescription process, constituting a tangible example for other institutions with potential impact on patient care.

Improving the Safety and Quality of Systemic Treatment Regimens in Computerized Prescriber Order Entry Systems

PURPOSE

Systemic treatment (ST) computerized prescriber order entry (CPOE) and preprinted orders (PPO) are proven to reduce errors. There is no known guidance in oncology to facilitate high-quality, accurate regimen development and review; hence, this was identified as a system-wide gap. This provincial initiative aimed to improve the quality of oncology regimens through a comprehensive review of systemic treatment (ST) regimens and the development of standards.

METHODS

A system-wide analysis of all active regimens (both CPOE and PPO) to ensure they were built as intended was conducted in 2015. Thirty-five hospitals (on behalf of 75 treatment facilities) were asked to report any unintentional discrepancies and details of the maintenance review process. Discrepancies were compiled, categorized, and analyzed for potential to cause harm. In addition, a multidisciplinary expert working group was formed to create best practice recommendations.

RESULTS

The review yielded a 94% response rate and took a total of 18 months to complete (70% completed within 9 months). The average number of regimens reviewed was 336 (range, 15 to 700; n = 9). Unintentional discrepancies were reported by nine hospitals (27%). A total of 369 discrepancies were reported (average, 55 per hospital), and 28 were deemed to have a moderate potential for harm. Only two hospitals (6%) had an established maintenance process; now, all have standard processes for review. Consensus-based recommendations for ST-CPOE and PPO regimen development and maintenance were developed.

CONCLUSION

The review identified unintentional discrepancies and, because of the potential for patient harm, corrective action has been taken. Identified discrepancies have been amended, and standard regimen development and maintenance review processes are now implemented system-wide to improve the quality and safety of systemic treatment delivery.

Development of Electronic Chemotherapy Roadmaps for Pediatric Oncology Patients

A chemotherapy roadmap is a summary of the chemotherapy plan for a pediatric oncology patient. Chemotherapy roadmaps exist as paper documents for most, if not all, pediatric oncology programs. Paper chemotherapy roadmaps are associated with risks that can negatively affect the safety of the chemotherapy process. This institution explored the feasibility of converting paper chemotherapy roadmaps into an electronic form. The pediatric information systems team developed an innovative computer application that can generate electronic chemotherapy roadmaps, and the pediatric oncology program established a novel workflow that can operationalize them. Electronic chemotherapy roadmaps have been produced for 36 treatment protocols, and 369 electronic chemotherapy roadmaps have been used for 352 pediatric oncology patients. They have functioned as designed and have not had any unintended effects. In the 5 years after their implementation, the average proportion of patient safety events involving paper or electronic chemotherapy roadmaps decreased by 78.7%. This report is the first to demonstrate the feasibility of creating and implementing electronic chemotherapy roadmaps. Continued expansion of the current library will be necessary to formally test the hypothesis that electronic chemotherapy roadmaps can decrease the risks associated with their paper counterparts and increase the safety of the chemotherapy process.

Safe Implementation of Computerized Provider Order Entry for Adult Oncology

BACKGROUND

Oncology has lagged in CPOE adoption due to the narrow therapeutic index of chemotherapy drugs, individualized dosing based on weight and height, regimen complexity, and workflows that include hard stops where safety checks are performed and documented.

OBJECTIVES

We sought to establish CPOE for chemotherapy ordering and administration in an academic teaching institution using a commercially available CPOE system.

METHODS

A commercially available CPOE system was implemented throughout the hospital. A multidisciplinary team identified key safety gaps that required the development of a customized complex order display and a verification documentation workflow. Staff reported safety events were monitored for two years and compared to the year prior to go live.

RESULTS

A workflow was enabled to capture real-time provider verification status during the time from ordering to the administration of chemotherapy. A customized display system was embedded in the EMR to provide a single screen view of the relevant parameters of chemotherapy doses including current and previous patient measurements of height and weight, dose adjustments, provider verifications, prior chemotherapy regimens, and a synopsis of the standard regimen for reference. Our system went live with 127 chemotherapy plans and has been expanded to 189. Staff reported safety events decreased following implementation, particularly in the area of prescribing and transcribing by the second year of use.

CONCLUSIONS

We observed reduced staff reported safety events following implementation of CPOE for inpatient chemotherapy using an electronic verification workflow and an embedded custom clinical decision support page. This implementation demonstrates that CPOE can be safely used for inpatient chemotherapy, even in an extremely complex environment.

Chemotherapy e-prescribing: opportunities and challenges

Chemotherapy drugs are characterized by low therapeutic indices and significant toxicities at clinically prescribed doses, raising serious issues of drug safety. The safety of the chemotherapy medication use process is further challenged by regimen complexity and need to tailor treatment to patient status. Errors that occur during chemotherapy prescribing are associated with serious and life-threatening outcomes. Computerized provider order entry (CPOE) systems were shown to reduce overall medication errors in ambulatory and inpatient settings. The adoption of chemotherapy CPOE is lagging due to financial cost and cultural and technological challenges. Institutions that adopted infusional or oral chemotherapy electronic prescribing modified existing CPOE systems to allow chemotherapy prescribing, implemented chemotherapy-specific CPOE systems, or developed home-grown chemotherapy electronic prescribing programs. Implementation of chemotherapy electronic prescribing was associated with a significant reduction in the risk of prescribing errors, most significantly dose calculation and adjustment errors. In certain cases, implementation of chemotherapy CPOE was shown to improve the chemotherapy use process. The implementation of chemotherapy CPOE may increase the risk of new types of errors, especially if processes are not redesigned and adapted to CPOE. Organizations aiming to implement chemotherapy CPOE should pursue a multidisciplinary approach engaging all stakeholders to guide system selection and implementation. Following implementation, organizations should develop and use a risk assessment process to identify and evaluate unanticipated consequences and CPOE-generated errors. The results of these analyses should serve to further enhance the chemotherapy electronic prescribing process and improve the quality and safety of cancer care.

Computerized prescriber order entry in the outpatient oncology setting: from evidence to meaningful use

BACKGROUND

Chemotherapy is an effective treatment in the fight against many cancers. Medication errors in oncology can be particularly serious given the narrow therapeutic window of antineoplastic drugs and their high toxicities. Computerized prescriber order entry (cpoe) has consistently been shown to reduce medication errors and adverse drug events in various settings, but its use in the oncology setting has not been well established. To gain a better understanding of the meaningful use of cpoe systems in the outpatient chemotherapy setting, we undertook a systematic review of systemic therapy cpoe.

METHODS

A province-wide expert panel consisting of clinical experts, health information professionals, and specialists in human factors design provided guidance in the development of the research questions, search terms, databases, and inclusion criteria. The systematic review was undertaken by a core team consisting of a medical oncologist, nurse, pharmacist, and methodologist. The medline, embase, cinahl, and compendex databases were searched for relevant evidence.

RESULTS

The database searches resulted in 5642 hits, of which 9 met the inclusion criteria and were retained. In the oncology setting, cpoe systems generally reduce chemotherapy medication errors; however, specific types of errors increase with the use of cpoe. These systems affect practice both positively and negatively with respect to time, workload, and productivity.

CONCLUSIONS

Despite the paucity of oncology-specific research, cpoe should be used in outpatient chemotherapy delivery to reduce chemotherapy-related medication errors. Adoption by clinicians will be enhanced by cpoe processes that complement current practice and workflow processes.

Toward successful migration to computerized physician order entry for chemotherapy

BACKGROUND

Computerized physician order entry (cpoe) systems allow for medical order management in a clinical setting. Use of a cpoe has been shown to significantly improve chemotherapy safety by reducing the number of prescribing errors. Usability of these systems has been identified as a critical factor in their successful adoption. However, there is a paucity of literature investigating the usability of cpoe for chemotherapy and describing the experiences of cancer care providers in implementing and using a cpoe system.

METHODS

A mixed-methods study, including a national survey and a workshop, was conducted to determine the current status of cpoe adoption in Canadian oncology institutions, to identify and prioritize knowledge gaps in cpoe usability and adoption, and to establish a research agenda to bridge those gaps. Survey respondents were representatives of cancer care providers from each Canadian province. The workshop participants were oncology clinicians, human factors engineers, patient safety researchers, policymakers, and hospital administrators from across Canada, with participation from the United States.

RESULTS

A variety of issues related to implementing and using a cpoe for chemotherapy were identified. The major issues concerned the need for better understanding of current practices of chemotherapy ordering, preparation, and administration; a lack of system selection and procurement guidance; a lack of implementation and maintenance guidance; poor cpoe usability and workflow support; and other cpoe system design issues. An additional three research themes for addressing the existing challenges and advancing successful adoption of cpoe for chemotherapy were identified: The need to investigate variances in workflows and practices in chemotherapy ordering and administrationThe need to develop best-practice cpoe procurement and implementation guidance specifically for chemotherapyThe need to measure the effects of cpoe implementation in medical oncology.

CONCLUSIONS

Addressing the existing challenges in cpoe usability and adoption for chemotherapy, and accelerating successful migration to cpoe by cancer care providers requires future research focusing on workflow variations, chemotherapy-specific cpoe procurement needs, and implementation guidance needs.

Using process elicitation and validation to understand and improve chemotherapy ordering and delivery

BACKGROUND

Chemotherapy ordering and administration, in which errors have potentially severe consequences, was quantitatively and qualitatively evaluated by employing process formalism (or formal process definition), a technique derived from software engineering, to elicit and rigorously describe the process, after which validation techniques were applied to confirm the accuracy of the described process.

METHODS

The chemotherapy ordering and administration process, including exceptional situations and individuals' recognition of and responses to those situations, was elicited through informal, unstructured interviews with members of an interdisciplinary team. The process description (or process definition), written in a notation developed for software quality assessment purposes, guided process validation (which consisted of direct observations and semistructured interviews to confirm the elicited details for the treatment plan portion of the process).

RESULTS

The overall process definition yielded 467 steps; 207 steps (44%) were dedicated to handling 59 exceptional situations. Validation yielded 82 unique process events (35 new expected but not yet described steps, 16 new exceptional situations, and 31 new steps in response to exceptional situations). Process participants actively altered the process as ambiguities and conflicts were discovered by the elicitation and validation components of the study. Chemotherapy error rates declined significantly during and after the project, which was conducted from October 2007 through August 2008.

DISCUSSION

Each elicitation method and the subsequent validation discussions contributed uniquely to understanding the chemotherapy treatment plan review process, supporting rapid adoption of changes, improved communication regarding the process, and ensuing error reduction.

'Why is there another person's name on my infusion bag?' Patient safety in chemotherapy care - a review of the literature

PURPOSE

Approximately 10% of all patients is in some way harmed by the health care system. Risk factors have been identified and patients with cancer are at high risk due to the seriousness of the disease, co-morbidity, often old age, high risk treatments such as chemo and radiotherapy. Therefore, a closer look on safety for patients undergoing chemotherapy is needed. The aim of this study was to identify and evaluate interventions for improved patient safety in chemotherapy care.

METHOD

We undertook a review of the available evidence regarding interventions to improve patient safety in relation to chemotherapy care.

RESULTS

We found 12 studies describing the following interventions; 1) Computerized Prescription Order Entry (CPOE), 2) Failure Mode and Effect Analysis (FMEA) and Lean Sigma, 3) Error reporting and surveillance systems, 4) Administration Checklist and 5) Education for nurses. Even if all five interventions showed positive effects in patient safety, the evidence level is rather weak due to design, sample size and the difficulties involved measuring patient safety issues.

CONCLUSIONS

Three studies with fairly high evidence level showed that computerized chemotherapy prescriptions were significantly safer than manual prescriptions and could therefore be recommended. For the other remaining interventions, more research is needed to assess the effect on improved patient safety in chemotherapy care. There is a need for more rigorous studies with sophisticated design for generating evidence in the field.

Economic impact of prescribing error prevention with computerized physician order entry of injectable antineoplastic drugs

A cost–benefit analysis was carried out to determine the potential economic costs and benefits of pharmaceutical analysis in preventing prescribing errors for full standardized injectable antineoplastic drugs computerized physician order entry, in a pharmaceutical unit (University teaching hospital), compared with theoretical setting with no pharmaceutical analysis. The viewpoint is that of the payer or the French national Public Health Insurance system, and is limited to hospital cost (only direct medical costs related to net cost and net benefit. A decision analysis model was performed to compare two strategies: with pharmaceutical analysis (±pharmacy intervention) and without pharmaceutical analysis. Results are expressed in terms of benefit-to-cost ratio and total benefit. The robustness of the results was assessed through a series of one-way sensitivity analyses. Over 1 year, prescribing error incidence was estimated at 1.5% [1.3–1.7], i.e. 218 avoided prescribing errors. Potential avoidance of hospital stay was estimated at 419 days or 1.9 ± 0.3 days per prescribing error. Cost–benefit analysis could estimate a net benefit-to-cost ratio of 33.3 (€17.34/€0.52) and a total benefit at €16.82 per pharmaceutical analysis or €249,844 per year. The sensitivity analysis showed robustness of results. Our study shows a substantial economic benefit of pharmaceutical analysis and intervention in the prevention of prescribing errors. The clinical pharmacist adds both value and economic benefit, making it possible to avoid additional use of expensive antineoplastic drugs and hospitalization. Computerized physician order entry of antineoplastic drugs improves the relevance of clinical pharmacist interventions, expanding pharmaceutical analysis and also the role of the pharmacist.

Key components of intravenous chemotherapy labeling: A systematic review and practice guideline

Objective. To determine the necessary components and formatting of an intravenous chemotherapy label to maximize safe delivery and minimize errors.

Date sources. The MEDLINE and EMBASE databases (up to April 2009) were searched for relevant evidence. Reference lists from retained studies were then searched for additional trials. An environmental scan was also conducted to locate other published and unpublished sources of information.

Study selection. Relevant articles were selected and reviewed by one methodologist. Articles were selected for inclusion if they were published English language reports of Phases II or III randomized controlled trials, other comparative studies, single-arm studies, practice guidelines, or systematic reviews with or without meta-analyses, which related to the study question. MEDLINE and EMBASE searches yielded 685 potential studies of which 17 met the inclusion criteria. The environmental scan located one guideline. Three additional relevant studies were identified during the external review process. In total, 21 documents met the inclusion criteria.

Data extraction. Data were extracted by one methodologist. Quality of systematic reviews was assessed using the AMSTAR tool. All other studies were evaluated based on study characteristics applicable to the particular study design.

Data synthesis. The evidence collected and the consensus of expert opinion of Cancer Care Ontario’s Chemotherapy Labeling Panel form the basis of a series of recommendations for the generation of intravenous chemotherapy labels including formatting, required information, and order of information. These guidelines inform the efficient, effective, and safe administration of intravenous chemotherapy. Illustrative examples are provided.

Interaction between capecitabine and brivudin in a patient with breast cancer

BACKGROUND

A 66-year-old woman with metastatic mammary carcinoma, who was being treated with capecitabine, contracted a herpes zoster infection that was treated with the antiviral drug brivudin. A drug-drug interaction between brivudin and capecitabine caused medullar aplasia, serious toxic effects to the intestinal mucous membrane, hand-foot syndrome, onycholysis and dental pigmentation.

INVESTIGATIONS

Physical examination, blood analysis, blood cultures, chest X-ray, bone marrow aspiration and biopsy.

DIAGNOSIS

Serious adverse event secondary to inhibition of dihydropyrimidine dehydrogenase by a drug-drug interaction between capecitabine and brivudin.

MANAGEMENT

Intravenous hydration, imipenem, red blood cell and platelet transfusions, filgrastim, omeprazole, care of the mouth and feet, topical anesthetics, systemic analgesics and parenteral nutrition.

Use of electronic medical records in oncology outcomes research

Oncology outcomes research could benefit from the use of an oncology-specific electronic medical record (EMR) network. The benefits and challenges of using EMR in general health research have been investigated; however, the utility of EMR for oncology outcomes research has not been explored. Compared to current available oncology databases and registries, an oncology-specific EMR could provide comprehensive and accurate information on clinical diagnoses, personal and medical histories, planned and actual treatment regimens, and post-treatment outcomes, to address research questions from patients, policy makers, the pharmaceutical industry, and clinicians/researchers. Specific challenges related to structural (eg, interoperability, data format/entry), clinical (eg, maintenance and continuity of records, variety of coding schemes), and research-related (eg, missing data, generalizability, privacy) issues must be addressed when building an oncology-specific EMR system. Researchers should engage with medical professional groups to guide development of EMR systems that would ultimately help improve the quality of cancer care through oncology outcomes research.

Cisplatin overdose: toxicities and management

Cisplatin is one of the most widely used antineoplastic agents in the treatment of solid tumour and haematological malignancies, including cancers of the testes, ovary, bladder, head and neck, oesophagus, stomach and lung, as well as lymphoma and osteosarcoma. Its non-specific targeting commonly results in adverse effects and toxicities affecting the gastrointestinal, renal, neurological and haematological systems even when administered at standard doses. Since cisplatin-related toxicities are dose-dependent, these may be more pronounced in the setting of a cisplatin overdose, resulting in significant morbidity and/or mortality. The incidence of cisplatin overdoses is unknown; however, early-phase clinical trials utilizing high-dose cisplatin, and case reports in the overdose setting have characterized the clinical features associated with cisplatin overdoses, highlighting some therapeutic strategies for consideration. To date, no published guidelines exist for managing a cisplatin overdose. The major toxicities of a cisplatin overdose include nausea and vomiting, renal insufficiency, electrolyte abnormalities, myelosuppression, ototoxicity, peripheral neuropathy, hepatotoxicity and retinopathy. Diarrhoea, pancreatitis, seizures and respiratory failure have also been reported. No specific antidote for cisplatin exists. Key management principles and strategies to lessen toxicities include renoprotection and enhancing drug elimination with aggressive intravenous hydration with or without the use of an osmotic diuretic, and avoidance of nephrotoxic medications. Sodium thiosulfate and plasmapheresis, with or without haemodialysis support, should be strongly considered. Close monitoring of clinical and laboratory parameters, and institution of supportive therapies, including antiemetics and haematopoietic colony stimulating factor support, are warranted. Based on the current literature, experimental therapies such as amifostine, ditiocarb sodium (diethyldithiocarbamate), acetylcysteine, fosfomycin and colestipol are of limited clinical effectiveness and remain investigational. This review serves to highlight the clinical spectrum of toxicities resulting from a cisplatin overdose, to critically appraise the available literature and to present a suggested algorithmic approach for the initial management of a cisplatin overdose.

Drug administration error related to computerized prescribing

Introduction. One of the main reasons for the implementation of computer-based prescribing was to reduce medication errors. However, the risk has not fallen to zero and new kinds of errors have been detected.

Setting. The following case relates one of these medication errors involving a preparation of vincristine. This antineoplastic drug was injected to a patient via a subcutaneous route of administration instead of an intravenous bolus injection.

Results. Consequently, a cutaneous erythema appeared. This incident resulted from an error in the programming of the administration route of the protocol operated by a pharmacist and a physician. The pharmacist, who was responsible for the validation of the computerized medical order and then for the compounding and the dispensing of the drug, did not detect the error.

Conclusion. This case highlights the need of improved and irreproachable therapeutic protocols. Recorded in a database, they must be validated pharmaceutically and medicinally to secure computer-based prescribing, drug handling, dispensing, and administering of the antineoplastic drugs. Even if the pharmaceutical analysis of prescriptions is made easier with computerization, we encourage the training of nurses and the evaluation of their knowledge as well as the necessity for pharmacists to learn to detect new kinds of errors and to verify periodically protocols.

Telepharmacy and bar-code technology in an i.v. chemotherapy admixture area

PURPOSE

A program using telepharmacy and bar-code technology to increase the presence of the pharmacist at a critical risk point during chemotherapy preparation is described.

SUMMARY

Telepharmacy hardware and software were acquired, and an inspection camera was placed in a biological safety cabinet to allow the pharmacy technician to take digital photographs at various stages of the chemotherapy preparation process. Once the pharmacist checks the medication vials' agreement with the work label, the technician takes the product into the biological safety cabinet, where the appropriate patient is selected from the pending work list, a queue of patient orders sent from the pharmacy information system. The technician then scans the bar code on the vial. Assuming the bar code matches, the technician photographs the work label, vials, diluents and fluids to be used, and the syringe (before injecting the contents into the bag) along with the vial. The pharmacist views all images as a part of the final product-checking process. This process allows the pharmacist to verify that the correct quantity of medication was transferred from the primary source to a secondary container without being physically present at the time of transfer.

CONCLUSION

Telepharmacy and bar coding provide a means to improve the accuracy of chemotherapy preparation by decreasing the likelihood of using the incorrect product or quantity of drug. The system facilitates the reading of small product labels and removes the need for a pharmacist to handle contaminated syringes and vials when checking the final product.

Multidisciplinary system for detecting medication errors in antineoplastic chemotherapy

Objective. To analyze medication errors (MEs) in a multidisciplinary system with a Computerized Pharmacotherapy Process (CPP) in cancer patients.

Design. A longitudinal, prospective 2-year (January 2003 —to December 2004) cohort study was made in adult patients administered antineoplastic treatment in Services of Oncology and Haematology. MEs were identified by double cross-validation of each stage of the pharmacotherapeutic process (prescription, preparation, dispensing, administration, and follow-up) carried out by the multidisciplinary team (physician, pharmacist, nurse) with CPP assistance.

Variables. Number of MEs per 1000 patient-days, percentage according to the stage of the pharmacotherapeutic process and the severity of intercepted ME (scored from 1 = no damage to the patient, to 5 = patient death).

Results. A total of 1311 patients were receiving treatment, and MEs were identified in 225. Out of a total of 13,158 patient-days, 276 MEs were detected, equivalent to 20.9 MEs per 1000 patient-days; of these, 16.8 MEs per 1000 patient-days (80%) were intercepted and did not affect any patient. The detected ME distribution according to pharmacotherapeutic stage was: prescription 75.7%, preparation 21.0%, dispensing 1.8%, administration 1.1%, and follow-up 0.4%. ME distribution according to severity was: grade 1 : 15.9%, grade 2 : 49.6%, grade 3 : 33.7%, grade 4 : 0.7%, and grade 5 : 0%.

The system intercepted 98.9% of all MEs with severity ≥3 (MEs with a potential for causing patient damage).

Conclusions. The multidisciplinary system with a well-established CPP detects 20.9 MEs per 1000 patient-days and intercepts 98.8% of all MEs with a potential for causing patient damage. J Oncol Pharm Practice (2010) 16: 105—112.