SEGURIDAD DEL PACIENTE: VALIDACIÓN DE PRESCRIPCIONES Y DISEÑO DE INDICADORES EN SERVICIOS DE FARMACIA DE HOSPITALES DE LA CIUDAD DE POSADAS, MISIONES

Abstract

According to the World Health Organization, Patient Safety is the absence of preventable harm during the health care process. Health indicators are a tool that allows improving the quality of care for patients within the health system. Pharmacists contribute to this work during the validation of medical prescriptions and, for this reason, the incorporation of indicators in this activity is of great importance. The objective of the work was to design indicators in Pharmacy Services of Hospitals in the city of Posadas, Misiones, that contribute to patient safety. A descriptive, observational, cross-sectional, quantitative study of qualitative variables was carried out. A registration sheet was used as a measurement instrument. 13 variables were analyzed in 1281 medical prescriptions, of which 24.5% presented Prescription-Related Problems. Three of the most notable were prioritized due to their magnitude and, as a result, it was found that 26% of the prescriptions presented Problems Related to Prescription in the variable of wrong patient; 30% in omission of dose or medication; and 34% in omission of diagnosis. From these, the indicators were designed: patient identification, non-specific pharmacological therapy and omitted diagnosis. In conclusion, the design of indicators based on variables related to Problems Related to Prescription allowed to visualize and alert the current situation of the health system related to patient safety. Its application could be used to standardize activities during the validation of prescriptions. Therefore, its implementation is suggested in the different pharmacy services, with the objective of establishing reference parameters appropriate to each interested institution and, consequently, its routine incorporation in the pharmaceutical validation process.