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Knowledge, perceived barriers and facilitators of medication error reporting: a quantitative survey in Malaysian primary care clinics

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Abstract

Background Medication errors are the most common types of medical errors that occur in health care organisations; however, these errors are largely underreported. Objective This study assessed knowledge on medication error reporting, perceived barriers to reporting medication errors, motivations for reporting medication errors and medication error reporting practices among various health care practitioners working at primary care clinics. Setting This study was conducted in 27 primary care clinics in Malaysia. Methods A self-administered survey was distributed to family medicine specialists, doctors, pharmacists, pharmacist assistants, nurses and assistant medical officers. Main outcome measures Health care practitioners’ knowledge, perceived barriers and motivations for reporting medication errors. Results Of all respondents (N = 376), nurses represented 31.9% (n = 120), followed by doctors (n = 87, 23.1%), pharmacists (n = 63, 16.8%), assistant medical officers (n = 53, 14.1%), pharmacist assistants (n = 46, 12.2%) and family medicine specialists (n = 7, 1.9%). Of the survey respondents who had experience reporting medication errors, 56% (n = 62) had submitted medication error reports in the preceding 12 months. Results showed that 41.2% (n = 155) of respondents were classified as having good knowledge on medication error and medication error reporting. The mean score of knowledge was significantly higher among prescribers and pharmacists than nurses, pharmacist assistants and assistant medical officers (p < 0.05). A heavy workload was the key barrier for both nurses and assistant medical officers, while time constraints prevented pharmacists from reporting medication errors. Family medicine specialists were mainly unsure about the reporting process. On the other hand, doctors and pharmacist assistants did not report primarily because they were unaware medication errors had occurred. Both family medicine specialists and pharmacist assistants identified patient harm as a motivation to report an error. Doctors and nurses indicated that they would report if they thought reporting could improve the current practices. Assistant medical officers reported that anonymous reporting would encourage them to submit a report. Pharmacists would report if they have enough time to do so. Conclusion Policy makers should consider using the information on identified barriers and facilitators to reporting medication errors in this study to improve the reporting system to reduce under-reported medication errors in primary care.

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Acknowledgements

We would like to thank the Director General of Health Malaysia for his approval to publish this work. We thank the Health State Departments and Health District Offices for their permission to conduct this study in their respective states and clinics. We extend our appreciations to the pharmacists who assisted in the data collection and all the respondents who participated in this study.

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This research received no funding from any agency.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute for Health Systems Research, Ministry of Health, 40170, Shah Alam, Selangor, Malaysia

    A. Samsiah

  2. Department of Clinical and Hospital Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy, Taibah University, Almadinah, Almunawwarah, 30001, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

    Noordin Othman

  3. Faculty of Pharmacy, PICOMS International University College, No 3, Jalan 31/10A, Taman Batu Muda, 68100, Batu Caves, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

    Noordin Othman

  4. Kuliyyah of Pharmacy, International Islamic University Malaysia, 25200, Kuantan, Pahang, Malaysia

    Shazia Jamshed

  5. Qualitative Research-Methodological Applications in Health Sciences Research Group, Kuliyyah of Pharmacy, International Islamic University Malaysia, 25200, Kuantan, Pahang, Malaysia

    Shazia Jamshed

  6. School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 11800, Gelugor, Penang, Malaysia

    Mohamed Azmi Hassali

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  1. A. Samsiah
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Samsiah, A., Othman, N., Jamshed, S. et al. Knowledge, perceived barriers and facilitators of medication error reporting: a quantitative survey in Malaysian primary care clinics. Int J Clin Pharm 42, 1118–1127 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11096-020-01041-0

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