OBJECTIVES

: Errors that occur during drug dispensing can cause serious injuries and even death, thereby, leading to increased healthcare resource utilization and costs. Efforts to prevent dispensing errors and enhance patient safety vary widely. The objective of this study was to identify studies on pharmacy practices or interventions in pharmacy settings aimed at reducing dispensing errors.

METHODS

: A literature search on Scopus, CINAHL Plus, Web of Science, Embase®, MEDLINE®, BIOSIS Previews®, Derwent Drug File, EMCare®, International Pharmaceutical Abstracts and SciSearch® between 2008 and 2017 was conducted using systematic search strategy. Studies examining current practices or interventions to prevent dispensing errors in pharmacy settings in developed countries were included. Two reviewers independently screened the studies and extracted information.

RESULTS

: Thirty-four studies were included in the systematic review. Overall there was a lack of studies in community pharmacy settings. Interventions observed in community pharmacies included electronic/computerized system, quality improvement programs and telepharmacy. Interventions and current practice in hospital pharmacies included technological safeguards, accuracy checking, unit dose dispensing, quality improvement program and tallman lettering. From the included hospital pharmacy studies, technology such as automated dispensing cabinets and carousel dispensing technology was reported to be effective in reducing dispensing errors. However, it is difficult to suggest that specific interventions were the most effective given the limited number of studies included and best safety practices would differ across pharmacies.

CONCLUSIONS

: Various interventions and practices were identified within pharmacies across the world with technological safeguards and electronic systems implemented most frequently in hospital and community pharmacies respectively. However, we found limited number of studies on community pharmacies in general. More research is needed to better understand current practices to reduce dispensing errors and evaluate their effectiveness, especially in community pharmacy settings.