Improving patient safety with “emergency department pharmacists" - a mixed method study

This project is supported by a Helse Nord grant (KlinReg)

DESCRIPTION

Medical errors, of which medication errors are a significant part, is the third ledaing cause of mortality world-wide. As many as 28% of all emergency depratment (ED) visits are medication-related and the vast majority of these medication errors are preventable. Clinical pharmacists are well-trained in medication reconciliation and medication review; two methods aimed at identifying and resolvning medication-related problems. 

AIMS

The overall aim of this project is to implement the ED pharmacist concept in three EDs in Helse Nord and investigate its impact on patient safety outcomes, ED logistics and costs. 

Aim 1: Identify barriers and facilitators for optimal and seamless medication therapy in EDs in Helse Nord. 

Aim 2: Identify improvement potentials and suggestions for seamless medication therapy in EDs and throughout hospital stay in Helse Nord. 

Aim 3: Determine the impact of a new ED intervention on patient-, medication- and health care service related outcomes. 

RELATED PUBLICATIONS  

1. Vesela R, Elenjord R, Lehnbom EC, Ofstad EH, Johnsgård T, Zahl-Holmstad B, Risør T, Wisløff T, Røslie L, Filseth OM, Valle PC, Svendsen K, Frøyshov HM, Garcia BH. Integrating the clinical pharmacist into the emergency department interdisciplinary team: a study protocol for a multicentre trial applying a non-randomised stepped-wedge study design. BMJ Open. 2021 Nov 25;11(11):e049645.