MEDIA RELEASE

9 February 2011

Dunedin Hospital pilot uncovers serious prescribing

errors

The electronic prescribing pilot involving two wards at Dunedin Hospital may be extended
across the entire hospital, and to Wakari Hospital, after the pilot exposed inadequate
prescribing and administration practices.

In yesterday’s Otago Daily Times it was reported that from a sample of 100 paper charts, the
pilot uncovered 2,623 instances of harm or near misses from medication errors last year -
most of which were unreported or unrecognised.

“The Guild has always asserted that there is a serious prescription error problem in primary
health care,” says Annabel Young, Guild Chief Executive. “This is both a patient safety issue
and a cost issue for health care.

“While these prescription errors have been uncovered in a hospital they also pose a serious
concern for community pharmacists. Once discharged, patients often go immediately to their
community pharmacist to fill a prescription. This means the prescription errors are transferred
into the community leading to further patient safety concerns and an increased workload for
the community pharmacist.”

According to Dr Andrew Bowers, Southern DHBs medical director of information and clinical
leader of the pilot, the National Health Board has indicated they might fund the extension of
the programme throughout Dunedin Hospital and Wakari Hospital at a cost of $800,000. The
electronic programme is inflexible which means all prescribers have to comply at all times to
prescribing rules.

ENDS

Media Contact: Annabel Young - 027 440 9160 or 04 802 8201

 Warren Leonard – 03 477 0890

For additional information: Julia Paterson-Fourie – 04 802 8211

Notes:

• The Pharmacy Guild of New Zealand (Inc) is a national membership organisation

representing community pharmacy owners. We provide leadership on all issues
affecting the sector and we advocate for the business interests of community
pharmacy.
• For additional information on the Guild and community pharmacy please go to
www.pgnz.org.nz