Electronic prescribing in pediatrics: toward safer and more effective medication management

NCPDP recommendations for standardizing dosing in metric units (mL) on prescription container labels of oral liquid medications, version 2.0

PURPOSE

Best practices and guidance are provided for standardizing dosing instructions on prescription container labels of oral liquid medications by eliminating use of U.S. customary (household) units and adopting metric units universally, with the goal of decreasing the potential for error and improving safety and outcomes when patients and caregivers take and administer these medications.

SUMMARY

Despite decades of best practice use of metric units in organized healthcare settings and advocacy by various professional societies, medication safety experts, and standards setting organizations, use of household units (e.g., teaspoon) on prescription container labeling instructions for oral liquid medications persists in community pharmacy settings. Five years after publication of the National Council for Prescription Drug Programs' (NCPDP's) original white paper advocating metric-only dosing, very few community pharmacy companies appear to require oral liquid dosing instructions be presented in metric-only units (mL). Error-prone dosing designations contribute to medication errors and patient harm. Use of both multiple volumetric units (e.g., teaspoonsful, tablespoonsful) and multiple abbreviations for the same volumetric units (e.g., mL, cc, mls; tsp, TSP, t) increases the likelihood of dosing errors. Opportunities for error exist with each administration of an oral liquid medication and, unless coordinated with dispensing of appropriate oral dosing devices and optimal counseling, can result in use of household utensils (e.g., uncalibrated teaspoons) or discordantly marked devices that can further exacerbate the risk of error. Since publication of NCPDP's original white paper, new standards have been adopted governing official liquid volume representation, calibrated dosing devices, and e-prescribing software which support the elimination of non-metric units to reduce use of dosing practices that are error-prone. In each case, U.S. customary (household) units have been eliminated in official standards and certification requirements. Therefore, use of non-metric units for oral dosing of liquid medications no longer is an acceptable practice.

CONCLUSION

Key factors contributing to dosing errors with oral liquid medications include use of multiple volumetric units and abbreviations; failure to institute policies and procedures that eliminate the use of non-metric (e.g., household) units and universally adopt metric-only dosing instructions in all settings; failure to coordinate dosing instructions with dosing device markings, appropriate type (oral syringe versus cup), and optimal volumes (e.g., 1-, 5-, or 10-mL devices); failure to adequately counsel patients about appropriate measurement and administration of oral liquid medication doses; and use or error-prone practices such as missing leading zeros and elimination of trailing zeros in prescriptions and container labels. Adoption of this white paper's recommendations will align dosing designations for oral liquid medications in all settings with current standards and attain universal metric-only practice.

Electronic Documentation in Pediatrics: The Rationale and Functionality Requirements

Clinical documentation is a fundamental component of the practice of medicine. It has significantly evolved over the past decade, largely because of the growth of health information technology and electronic health records. Although government agencies and other professional organizations have published position statements on the structure and use of electronic documentation, few have specifically addressed the documentation needs for the care of children. A policy statement on electronic documentation of clinical care by general pediatric and subspecialist providers by the American Academy of Pediatrics is needed. This statement provides insight on the unmet needs of key stakeholders to direct future research and development of the electronic media necessary to enhance the wellness of children and improve health care delivery. It also addresses the challenges and opportunities for efficient and effective clinical documentation in pediatrics.

Impact of Electronic Health Record Systems on Prescribing Errors in Pediatric Clinics

Medication errors are commonly reported in the pediatric population. While evidence supports the use of e-prescribing to prevent certain errors, prescribing with an electronic health record (EHR) system is not devoid of errors. Furthermore, the majority of EHRs are not equipped with functionalities addressing pediatric needs. This study analyzes three unique EHRs in three pediatric clinics. It describes the functionality of each system and identifies errors found in e-prescribed prescriptions. Finally, the study estimates the proportion of e-prescribing errors that could have been avoided if those EHRs had met requirements set by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP). The number of prescriptions reviewed for Clinics 1, 2, and 3, respectively, were: 477, 408, and 633 with total error rates of 13.2%, 8.8%, and 6.6%. The clinic EHRs included 21%, 26%, and 47% of the AAP pediatric requirements for safe and effective e-prescribing for children. If all AAP elements had been included in the EHRs, over 83% of errors in the examined e-prescriptions could have been prevented. This study demonstrates that EHR systems used by many pediatric clinic practices do not meet the standard set forth by the AAP. To ensure our most vulnerable population is better protected, it is imperative that medical technology tools adequately consider pediatric needs during development and that this is reflected in selected EHR systems.

Defining electronic-prescribing and infusion-related medication errors in paediatric intensive care - a Delphi study

Background

The use of health information technology (HIT) to improve patient safety is widely advocated by governmental and safety agencies. Electronic-prescribing and smart-pump technology are examples of HIT medication error reduction strategies. The introduction of new errors on HIT implementation is, however, also recognised. To determine the impact of HIT interventions, clear medication error definitions are required. This study aims to achieve consensus on defining as medication errors a range of either technology-generated, or previously unaddressed infusion-related scenarios, common in the paediatric intensive care setting.

Methods

This study was conducted in a 23-bed paediatric intensive care unit (PICU) of an Irish tertiary paediatric hospital. A modified Delphi technique was employed: previously undefined medication-incidents were identified by retrospective review of voluntary incident reports and clinical pharmacist interventions; a multidisciplinary expert panel scored each incident using a 9-point Likert scale over a number of iterative rounds; levels of agreement were assessed to produce a list of medication errors. Differences in scoring between healthcare professionals were assessed.

Results

Seventeen potential errors or ‘scenarios’ requiring consensus were identified, 13 of which related to technology recently implemented into the PICU. These were presented to a panel of 37 participants, comprising of doctors, nurses and pharmacists. Consensus was reached to define as errors all reported smart-pump scenarios (n = 6) and those pertaining to the pre-electronic process of prescribing weight-based paediatric infusions (n = 4). Of 7 electronic-prescribing scenarios, 4 were defined as errors, 2 were deemed not to be and consensus could not be achieved for the last. Some differences in scoring between healthcare professionals were found, but were only significant (p < 0.05) for two and three scenarios in consensus rounds 1 and 2 respectively.

Conclusion

The list of medication errors produced using the Delphi technique highlights the diversity of previously undefined medication errors in PICU. The increased complexity of electronic-prescribing processes is evident from the difficulty in achieving consensus on those scenarios. Reducing ambiguity in defining medication errors should assist future research on the impact of HIT medication safety initiatives in critical care. The increasing use of HIT and associated new errors will necessitate further similar studies.

[Medication safety in children : What role do dosing and formulations play?]

Medication errors are more common in children compared to adults due to often missing efficacy evidence and limited or missing regulatory approvals for paediatric drugs.Roots of errors are located at different levels. They result, for example, from missing clinical studies that particularly investigate efficacy and correct dosing in younger age groups, the lack of age-appropriate dosage forms, the use of harmful ingredients, as well as the complicated and high-risk prescribing process.Electronic systems may improve the quality of drug prescriptions and reduce medication errors. The basic assumption is valid, evidence-based data behind such a system. In contrast to other countries, such a database is not yet available in Germany. The Plan of Action for the improvement of medication safety in Germany 2016-2019 (Aktionsplan) contains an action point "Creation of a database for dosing of paediatric medicines". Initial funding for 2 years has been granted for its implementation.Through systematic literature searches and the availability and provision of up-to-date knowledge on paediatric medicines, medication safety for children and adolescents can be improved. A database with relevant information to support more correct prescriptions within the paediatric population appears productive. The Aktionsplan has paved the way for the dissemination of evidence-based drug information for the country's paediatric population.

A Quality Improvement Initiative: Improving the Frequency of Inpatient Electronic Prescribing

OBJECTIVE

To improve the frequency of electronic prescribing (e-prescribing) of discharge prescriptions at a children's hospital via a bundle of quality improvement interventions.

METHODS

Surveys and focus groups were conducted with patient families and pediatric residents to identify barriers and propose solutions to e-prescribing. These data were used to generate a series of interventions, including the following: (1) provider education; (2) changes in patient registration workflow; and (3) electronic health record changes to improve the frequency of e-prescribing on the pediatric hospital medicine (PHM) service. The primary outcome measure was the e-prescribing frequency, with a balance measure of e-prescribing errors.

RESULTS

From July 2014 through June 2015, e-prescribing frequency on the PHM service improved from a median of 7.4% to 48.9% (P < .001) and was sustained for an additional 6 months (July 2015-December 2015), surpassing meaningful use targets with associated US News and World Report hospital ranking points. The frequency of PHM prescription errors remained unchanged, and in comparison, the resident outpatient clinic revealed no statistically significant change in e-prescribing frequency during this time period.

CONCLUSIONS

Engaging front-line providers in hospital-wide initiatives and quality improvement interventions can directly affect hospital metrics in programs such as meaningful use and US News and World Report, as shown through successful improvement in PHM e-prescribing frequency. Future studies are necessary to determine whether increased e-prescribing frequency affects patient outcomes and compliance.

Payer Formulary Alerts as a Cause of Patient Harm and the Journey to Change Them

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

A safety event drew attention to unsafe and inappropriate payer formulary alerts. These alerts display formulary, coverage, and eligibility data from the pharmacy benefits manager in response to an electronic prescription. They are intended to redirect prescribers to medications that are covered by insurance; however, these alerts were found to be inaccurate and contribute to potentially harmful alerts. Our objective was to reduce inappropriate payer formulary alerts by 30% within 1 year and to change the ePrescribing certification requirements to prevent future instances of harm.

METHODS

Using process mapping we identified the changes that were required both locally and nationally through our electronic health record (EHR) vendor and ePrescribing transaction broker. We partnered with vendors to show the safety risk and to suggest modifications to the payer formulary alert content and ePrescribing certification criteria. On the basis of the new criteria, we modified and deactivated inappropriate alerts. Rates were followed weekly for 13 months and a control chart was used to track progress.

RESULTS

From January 2014 to January 2015, we reviewed 59 325 payer formulary alerts from ambulatory care and 11 630 from the emergency department and inpatient wards. Both local and national modifications resulted in significant and sustained decreases in inappropriate alerts.

CONCLUSIONS

Enduring and meaningful change required partnership with multiple stakeholders, including EHR vendors, ePrescribing vendors, and pharmacy benefits managers. Improving drug alerts, reducing alert fatigue, and promoting value-based prescribing in the EHR will likely require similar partnerships.

New technologies as a strategy to decrease medication errors: how do they affect adults and children differently?

BACKGROUND

Medication error can occur throughout the drug treatment process, with special relevance in children given the risk of adverse effects resulting from a medication error is more prevalent than in adults. The significance of medication error in children is also greater because small error that would be tolerated in adults can cause significant damage in children. Moreover, the likelihood of injury is higher than in adults.

DATA SOURCES

Based on the data published, most medication errors take place in prescribing and administration stages in both populations. Taking in account that child's risk factors are different from those of adults, with some specific causes to pediatrics, we have reviewed available data about new technologies as a strategy to reduce pediatric medication errors.

RESULTS

Even though there is a lack of standardized definitions and terminology that makes studies difficult to compare, we checked that new technologies have proven to be effectives in reducing medication errors, mainly computerized physician order entry (CPOE) and platforms to aid decision-making. However, we also observed that the use of these informatic tools can also generate new errors.

CONCLUSIONS

Implementation of CPOE programs for pediatrics, communication improvement between healthcare professionals taking care of admitted children and the knowledge of these programs should be the mayor priorities for the safety of hospitalized children.

Association Patterns in Open Data to Explore Ciprofloxacin Adverse Events

BACKGROUND

Ciprofloxacin is one of the main drugs to treat bacterial infections. Bacterial infections can lead to high morbidity, mortality, and costs of treatment in the world. In this study, an analysis was conducted using the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Adverse Event Reporting System (AERS) database on the adverse events of ciprofloxacin.

OBJECTIVES

The aim of this study was to explore unknown associations among the adverse events of ciprofloxacin, patient demographics and adverse event outcomes.

METHODS

A search of FDA AERS reports was performed and some statistics was highlighted. The most frequent adverse events and event outcomes of ciprofloxacin were listed, age and gender specific distribution of adverse events are reported, then the apriori algorithm was applied to the dataset to obtain some association rules and objective measures were used to select interesting ones. Furthermore, the results were compared against classical data mining algorithms and discussed.

RESULTS

The search resulted in 6 531 reports. The reports included within the dataset consist of 3 585 (55.8%) female and 2 884 (44.1%) male patients. The mean age of patients is 54.59 years. Preschool child, middle aged and aged groups have most adverse events reports in all groups. Pyrexia has the highest frequency with ciprofloxacin, followed by pain, diarrhoea, and anxiety in this order and the most frequent adverse event outcome is hospitalization. Age and gender based differences in the events in patients were found. In addition, some of the interesting associations obtained from the Apriori algorithm include not only psychiatric disorders but specifically their manifestation in specific gender groups.

CONCLUSIONS

The FDA AERS offers an important data resource to identify new or unknown adverse events of drugs in the biomedical domain. The results that were obtained in this study can provide valuable information for medical researchers and decision makers at the pharmaceutical research field.

The Safety of Drug Therapy in Children

BACKGROUND

1.7% of children taking medication on an outpatient basis in Germany have at least one adverse drug reaction (ADR). The corresponding figure for hospitalized children is estimated at 10% .

METHODS

This review is based on pertinent literature retrieved by a selective search in PubMed.

RESULTS

According to reports submitted to the Drug Commission of the German Medical Association (Arzneimittelkommission der deutschen Ärzteschaft, AkdÄ), serious ADRs can arise, for example, after the administration of dimenhydrinate, α-adrenergic nose drops, enemas containing phosphate, ACE inhibitors, angiotensin-2-receptor antagonists (sartans), and methylphenidate. The causes of ADRs include overdoses, drug administration despite contraindications, and inadequate monitoring of long-term treatment. Errors can also be made in communication, labeling, and drug administration. The risk of ADRs is especially high in off-label use. Computerized physician order entry systems, individual packaging and labeling of single doses, and the use of bar codes for patient and drug identification can help prevent such errors.

CONCLUSION

The process of drug administration should be optimized through suitable interventions and electronic support, with due consideration of local circumstances. Clinical trials on children should be encouraged as a means of improving drug safety, and additional financial incentives should be created for trials concerning drugs that are off-patent. Physicians and pharmacists should take care to report adverse reactions as they are required to do by professional code, particularly in the case of new drugs, off-label use, or medication errors. A recognized national standard for dosing that can be implemented in computerized physician order entry systems is needed so that evidence-based pediatric dosages can be calculated.

Pediatric aspects of inpatient health information technology systems

In the past 3 years, the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act accelerated the adoption of electronic health records (EHRs) with providers and hospitals, who can claim incentive monies related to meaningful use. Despite the increase in adoption of commercial EHRs in pediatric settings, there has been little support for EHR tools and functionalities that promote pediatric quality improvement and patient safety, and children remain at higher risk than adults for medical errors in inpatient environments. Health information technology (HIT) tailored to the needs of pediatric health care providers can improve care by reducing the likelihood of errors through information assurance and minimizing the harm that results from errors. This technical report outlines pediatric-specific concepts, child health needs and their data elements, and required functionalities in inpatient clinical information systems that may be missing in adult-oriented HIT systems with negative consequences for pediatric inpatient care. It is imperative that inpatient (and outpatient) HIT systems be adapted to improve their ability to properly support safe health care delivery for children.

Unit of measurement used and parent medication dosing errors

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

Adopting the milliliter as the preferred unit of measurement has been suggested as a strategy to improve the clarity of medication instructions; teaspoon and tablespoon units may inadvertently endorse nonstandard kitchen spoon use. We examined the association between unit used and parent medication errors and whether nonstandard instruments mediate this relationship.

METHODS

Cross-sectional analysis of baseline data from a larger study of provider communication and medication errors. English- or Spanish-speaking parents (n = 287) whose children were prescribed liquid medications in 2 emergency departments were enrolled. Medication error defined as: error in knowledge of prescribed dose, error in observed dose measurement (compared to intended or prescribed dose); >20% deviation threshold for error. Multiple logistic regression performed adjusting for parent age, language, country, race/ethnicity, socioeconomic status, education, health literacy (Short Test of Functional Health Literacy in Adults); child age, chronic disease; site.

RESULTS

Medication errors were common: 39.4% of parents made an error in measurement of the intended dose, 41.1% made an error in the prescribed dose. Furthermore, 16.7% used a nonstandard instrument. Compared with parents who used milliliter-only, parents who used teaspoon or tablespoon units had twice the odds of making an error with the intended (42.5% vs 27.6%, P = .02; adjusted odds ratio=2.3; 95% confidence interval, 1.2-4.4) and prescribed (45.1% vs 31.4%, P = .04; adjusted odds ratio=1.9; 95% confidence interval, 1.03-3.5) dose; associations greater for parents with low health literacy and non-English speakers. Nonstandard instrument use partially mediated teaspoon and tablespoon-associated measurement errors.

CONCLUSIONS

Findings support a milliliter-only standard to reduce medication errors.