Clin Med
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Comparative Study
Simple prescribing errors and allergy documentation in medical hospital admissions in Australia and New Zealand.
This study aimed to quantify and compare the prevalence of simple prescribing errors made by clinicians in the first 24 hours of a general medical patient's hospital admission. Four public or private acute care hospitals across Australia and New Zealand each audited 200 patients' drug charts. Patient demographics, pharmacist review and pre-defined prescribing errors were recorded. ⋯ Patients reviewed by a pharmacist were less likely to have inadequate documentation of allergies (13.5% vs 29.4%, p < 0.001). Simple prescribing errors are common, although their nature differs from site to site. Clinical pharmacists target patients with the most complex health situations, and their involvement leads to improved documentation.
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From the report of a working party of the Royal College of Physicians, the Association for Palliative Medicine and National End of Life Care Programme
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This study aimed to investigate relationships between dysglycaemia and length of hospital stay, short-term mortality and readmission in an unselected population in an acute medical unit (AMU). The rate of follow up in non-diabetic individuals with hyperglycaemia was also measured. We analysed data from all 1,502 patients admitted through our AMU in February 2010 to assess blood glucose levels on admission, length of stay, 28-day readmissions and mortality, and to determine whether blood glucose > or = 11.1 mmol/l on admission in non-diabetic individuals was followed up. ⋯ Overall, 51.4% of non-diabetic individuals with blood glucose > 11.1 mmol/l on admission were followed up. The study showed that blood glucose > 6.5 mmol/l on admission is associated with significantly longer length of stay. Hyperglycaemia was associated with increased 28-day mortality and readmissions, and is frequently underinvestigated.
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The National Plan for Liver Services in 2009 called for a review of current liver services across the UK to identify areas of good and poor provision. We present the results of a national questionnaire survey of liver services, which focussed on staffing and training, access to key facilities and clinical management of liver disease. ⋯ Wide variation in the clinical management of serious liver diseases supports the need for managed clinical networks. These results will help to guide the development of standards of care for liver services across the UK.