Prevalence, contributing factors, and interventions to reduce medication errors in outpatient and ambulatory settings: a systematic review (8 September 2023)

Summary

Medication errors in ambulatory care settings present unique patient safety challenges. This systematic review explored the prevalence of medication errors in outpatient and ambulatory care settings. Findings indicate that prescribing errors (e.g., dosing errors) are the most common type of medication error and are often attributed to latent factors, such as knowledge gaps.

Content

Key findings:

• Medication errors are common in outpatient and ambulatory settings, with prescribing errors and dosing errors being the most prevalent.
• Latent conditions, including inadequate training or knowledge, were more common followed by active failures. Mistakes and violations were the most frequent contributory factors related to active failures.
• There is a need for the development of theory-based multifactorial interventions to minimize medication errors in outpatient and ambulatory settings.
• Randomized controlled trials are needed to develop and evaluate the long-term outcomes of complex interventions in these settings.