From Prescription to Patient: Measuring Success in Reducing Medication Errors

Abstract

Throughout the whole medication-use cycle, including prescription, transcription, dispensing, administration, and monitoring, medication errors continue to pose a persistent and avoidable risk to patient safety. The evidence on medication-error patterns, contributing factors, and interventions meant to lessen medication-related harm is summarized in this review. With a stated publication window of 2010–2024, the source review took into account secondary evidence from peer-reviewed literature, hospital and clinical safety reports, WHO and national health authority publications, pharmacovigilance and medication safety bulletins, and systematic reviews and meta-analyses found through PubMed, Scopus, Google Scholar, Web of Science, ResearchGate, and official WHO and PvPI repositories. Errors in dose selection, incorrect drug selection, omissions, timing errors, documentation issues, and confusion between look-alike and sound-alike medications were common in prescribing and administration.

Risk is influenced by human factors, communication gaps, workload, non-standardized procedures, disruptions, personnel constraints, insufficient automation, and low pharmacist participation. Technology-based treatments, clinical pharmacist involvement, organized training, better labelling and storage, and non-punitive reporting systems can all lower medication-related risk, according to evidence in the source review. When technology, pharmacist involvement, staff training, monitoring, and a supportive safety culture are used in tandem, the greatest and longest-lasting benefits take place.