Article Figures & Tables
Tables
Characteristic No. (%) of pharmacies
n = 301Type of pharmacy* Chain 166 (55.1) Banner 111 (36.9) Independent 24 (8.0) Population served by the pharmacy < 1000 31 (10.3) 1000–4999 70 (23.3) 5000–49 999 145 (48.2) 50 000–99 999 16 (5.3) > 100 000 39 (13.0) ↵* Chain pharmacies are typically directed by a corporate office, with respect to its professional programs, marketing, ordering, etc. Banner pharmacies are independently owned pharmacies that are affiliated with a central office; they pay fees for the banner’s benefit in centralized buying, marketing and professional programs. Independent pharmacies are not affiliated with any corporately run chains or banners. The owner of an independent pharmacy has complete control over the business (e.g., ordering and marketing strategies).
Event reached patient Patient outcome No. (%) Harm QRE No No error (i.e., near miss) 80 488 (82.0) No Yes No harm 16 681 (17.0) No Yes Mild harm 839 (0.86) Yes Yes Moderate harm 80 (0.1) Yes Yes Severe harm 7 (0.00) Yes Yes Death 2 (0.00) Yes Total 98 097 (100) Note: QRE = quality-related event.
- Table 3:
Total number of QREs, number of harm QREs and proportion of harm QREs for each medication system stage
Stage No. (%) % Harm QREs* QREs Harm QREs* Prescribing 10 658 (9.0) 159 (10.6) 1.5 Prescription order entry 69 856 (58.7) 411 (27.4) 0.6 Prescription preparation/dispensing 34 859 (29.3) 571 (38.1) 1.6 Administration 2167 (1.8) 228 (15.2) 10.5 Monitoring/follow-up 704 (0.6) 90 (6.0) 12.8 Not applicable 743 (0.6) 39 (2.6) 5.2 Total 118 987† (100) 1498† (100) – Note:QRE = quality related event.
↵* Harm QREs are associated with a patient outcome of mild harm, moderate harm, severe harm or death (Table 2).
↵† The reporter can select multiple options for “Medication System Stages Involved” field; hence the total number of QREs and the number of QREs with harm are greater than those shown in Table 2.
- Table 4:
Total number of QREs, number of harm QREs and proportion of harm QREs for each type
Type No. (%) of QREs No. (%) of harm QREs* Proportion of harm QREs*, % Incorrect dose or frequency 25 089 (25.6) 254 (27.4) 1.0 Incorrect quantity 19 619 (20.0) 19 (2.0) 0.1 Incorrect drug 13 951 (14.2) 185 (19.9) 1.3 Incorrect strength or concentration 10 508 (10.7) 187 (20.2) 1.8 Incorrect prescriber 8454 (8.6) 0 (0) 0.0 Incorrect patient 5685 (5.8) 32 (3.4) 0.6 Incorrect duration of treatment 5048 (5.1) 18 (1.9) 0.4 Incorrect dosage form or formulation (including not splitting tablets as per patient’s request) 3281 (3.3) 32 (3.4) 1.0 Omitted medication or dose 1919 (2.0) 58 (6.23 3.0 Incorrect route of administration 1121 (1.1) 7 (0.8) 0.6 Incorrect storage 857 (0.9) 3 (0.3) 0.4 Incorrect third-party billing 803 (0.8) 1 (0.1) 0.1 Drug therapy problem — drug–drug/OTC/natural health product interaction 506 (0.5) 19 (2.0) 3.8 Drug therapy problem — documented allergy 447 (0.5) 31 (3.3) 6.9 Drug therapy problem — contraindication 356 (0.4) 12 (1.3) 3.4 Expired medication 191 (0.2) 9 (1.0) 4.7 Drug therapy problem — adverse drug reaction 188 (0.2) 56 (6.0) 29.8 Drug therapy problem — drug–disease interaction 63 (0.1) 3 (0.3) 4.8 Drug therapy problem — drug–food interaction 11 (0.0) 2 (0.2) 18.2 Total 98 097 (100) 928 (100) – Note: OTC = over the counter, QRE = quality-related event.
↵* Harm QREs are associated with a patient outcome of mild harm, moderate harm, severe harm or death (Table 2).