National Survey of Safety Features with Pharmacy Computer Systems

Total: 193

A. Create a test patient** in the medication order entry system used by pharmacists. Then, enter each of the medication orders below into your computer system. Be sure to include any specific patient parameters necessary in the test patient profile before entering each order. Then record on the chart whether your computer system provided a warning about each unsafe order, whether staff were able to override the warning (if it appeared), and if the override required documentation of a reason.
**IMPORTANT NOTE: Please test the above unsafe orders in a TEST patient profile ONLY, not an active patient profile. Ensure that the test patient profile created for the survey is appropriately interfaced so the capabilities are exactly the same as with an active patient profile.

Medication Orders
Each order represents a hazard alert or an adverse event published in the ISMP Medication Safety Alert!, and most have led to (or could cause) serious patient harm, sometimes death.
Test Patient Parameters
(if applicable)
Unsafe Order Detected
Able to Override Warning
Able to Override Warning if Reason Noted
Yes
No
Yes
No
Yes
No
1. methotrexate 7.5 mg PO daily Rheumatoid arthritis 29% 71% 87% 13% 77% 23%
2. Wellbutrin XL 300 mg PO daily Seizure disorder 19% 81% 83% 17% 84% 16%
3. Percocet (any strength) PO q4h prn Also: Tylenol 650 mg PO q4h prn 73% 27% 91% 9% 85% 15%
4. Fluzone 0.5 mL IM Allergy to eggs 44% 56% 85% 15% 79% 21%
5. Zyban 150 mg PO BID Also: Wellbutrin SR 150 mg PO BID 82% 18% 96% 4% 81% 19%
6. Lovenox 60 mg subcutaneously q12h Also: heparin 1,000 units/hour IV 85% 15% 94% 6% 85% 15%
7. Sporanox 100 mg PO daily Congestive heart failure 14% 86% 89% 11% 85% 15%
8. St. John's Wort 300 mg PO TID indinavir 800 mg PO q8h 25% 75% 83% 17% 77% 23%
9. Varivax 0.5 mL subcutaneously Female; pregnant 19% 81% 88% 12% 74% 26%
10. metformin 500 mg PO BID Serum creatinine: 2.1 mg/dL 45% 55% 88% 12% 79% 21%
11. Neutra-Phos-K 2 packets PO TID Potassium: 6.1 mEq/L 32% 68% 89% 11% 76% 24%
12. rifampin 600 mg PO daily Also: saquinavir 1,200 mg PO TID 75% 25% 92% 8% 91% 9%
13. lomustine 190 mg PO daily for 6 weeks Body surface area: 1.46 m2 24% 76% 75% 25% 72% 28%
14. carbamazepine 400 mg PO BID 4-year-old child 33% 67% 90% 10% 76% 24%
15. carbamazepine 1,300 mg PO BID No specific parameters 46% 54% 88% 13% 76% 24%
16. Lantus 25 units IV now Diabetes 30% 70% 62% 38% 52% 48%
17. vincristine 2 mg intrathecally today Acute leukemia 36% 64% 61% 39% 46% 54%
18. amphotericin B 260 mg IV daily No specific parameters 43% 57% 88% 12% 78% 22%
B. Please evaluate the following statements about your CURRENT pharmacy computer system's capabilities and answer Yes or No.
Statements
Yes
 No
1. Alerts that have little or no clinical significance routinely appear on the screen. 71% 29%
2. Alerts that have little or no clinical significance can be eliminated easily. 61% 39%
3. The system allows you to build alerts for serious error-prone situations (e.g., look-alike names, special precautions). 75% 25%
4. The system allows you to use tall-man letters to differentiate between look-alike drug name pairs (hydrOXYzine, hydrALAzine). 58% 42%
5. The system allows you to change font and color to highlight look-alike drug name pairs to prevent confusion. 10% 90%
6. The system produces computer-generated medication administration records (MARs), which are used in the hospital.
If yes, nurses generally feel the computer-generated MARs are safer than handwritten MARs. 		82% 18%
83% 17%
7. The system is directly interfaced with the laboratory system.
If yes, the system automatically screens orders and alerts staff according to current laboratory values.		 73% 27%
42% 58%
8. The system allows for direct prescriber order entry AND prescribers directly enter at least 75% of all medication orders. 22% 78%
9. The system is capable of providing reports of drug warning overrides by staff. 83% 17%
10.The system is integrated with a point-of-care bar-coding system used on patient care units during drug administration. 18% 82%
C. Drug information updates from your vendor are received:
Less Often 7%
Monthly 41%
Quarterly 41%
Twice/Year 2%
Weekly 10%
D. If the FDA publicizes an important new drug interaction today, how long would it be before the new information is actually loaded into your pharmacy computer system and interactive?
1-2 Months 20%
3-4 Months 36%
5-7 Months 10%
Less than 1 Month 26%
More than 8 Months 8%
E. How long have you been using your current pharmacy computer system application?
1-2 Years 14%
3-4 Years 21%
5-7 Years 18%
Less than 1 Year 8%
More than 8 Years 39%
F. Please choose the type of healthcare provider that best describes your organization.
Acute Care Hospital 83%
Critical Access Hospital 8%
Other Specialty Hospital 4%
Pediatric Hospital 4%

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