Identifying the most common and costly medication errors: Implications for healthcare managers

Medication administration errors, although preventable, continue to have adverse effects on patient outcomes and healthcare facilities’ financial well-being. Researchers have demonstrated that, although process interventions have been implemented, new technology has been deployed, and training and education have increased, the errors persist. Limited research appears to have established the most prevalent, harmful and costly types of medication administration errors. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to assist healthcare managers of inpatient facilities to identify the most common and costly medication administration errors. Donabedian’s model for healthcare quality, derived from the three categories of structure, process and outcomes, was utilised to determine how mistakes persist despite numerous interventions targeted at these factors. A correlational analysis was conducted utilising Pearson’s R and multiple linear regression to define the relationships between the independent variable of ‘specific malpractice allegation’ (ie medication administration error type) and dependent variables of ‘severity of alleged injury’ and ‘total payment’. Results were determined by the correlation coefficient after regression diagnostics. Analysis of the data indicates a greater prevalence of administration errors related to wrong medication and wrong dose; of these, wrong medication errors resulted in greater harm to the patient, although medications administered via the wrong route resulted in the payment of greater amounts. In addition, payment amounts increase with greater severity of harm. Implications for healthcare managers include implementing processes to reduce medication administration errors as well as implementing targeted risk management programmes in inpatient settings.