Barriers and facilitators to recovering from e-prescribing errors in community pharmacies

Abstract

Objective: To explore barriers and facilitators to recovery from e-prescribing errors in community pharmacies and to explore practical solutions for work system redesign to ensure successful recovery from errors.

Design: Cross-sectional qualitative design using direct observations, interviews, and focus groups.

Setting: Five community pharmacies in Wisconsin.

Participants: 13 pharmacists and 14 pharmacy technicians.

Interventions: Observational field notes and transcribed interviews and focus groups were subjected to thematic analysis guided by the Systems Engineering Initiative for Patient Safety (SEIPS) work system and patient safety model.

Main outcome measures: Barriers and facilitators to recovering from e-prescription errors in community pharmacies.

Results: Organizational factors, such as communication, training, teamwork, and staffing levels, play an important role in recovering from e-prescription errors. Other factors that could positively or negatively affect recovery of e-prescription errors include level of experience, knowledge of the pharmacy personnel, availability or usability of tools and technology, interruptions and time pressure when performing tasks, and noise in the physical environment.

Conclusion: The SEIPS model sheds light on key factors that may influence recovery from e-prescribing errors in pharmacies, including the environment, teamwork, communication, technology, tasks, and other organizational variables. To be successful in recovering from e-prescribing errors, pharmacies must provide the appropriate working conditions that support recovery from errors.