Adoption of medication alert systems in hospital outpatient departments in Taiwan. 2017

Yu-Chun Kuo, and Shou-Hsia Cheng
Institute of Health Policy and Management, National Taiwan University, No 17, Xuzhou Rd., Zhongzheng Dist., Taipei City 10055, Taiwan, ROC; Institute for Hospital Management, Tsinghua University, Tsinghua Campus, The University Town, Shenzhen 518055, PR China.

The adoption of medication alert systems in the health care sector varies among regions. In Taiwan, the health authority introduced policies in 2005 to encourage the adoption of medication alert systems in hospitals. This study aimed to understand the adoption of medication alert systems in the outpatient departments of hospitals in Taiwan using a nationwide survey. A questionnaire was developed and mailed to 380 accredited general hospitals in Taiwan in 2013. The information collected from the questionnaire concerning the outpatient department included (1) the time of adoption of a medication alert system; (2) the operation of individual alert functions: availability, management, and stability; and (3) hospital characteristics: accreditation level, teaching status, ownership, and number of beds. A total of 216 hospitals completed and returned the questionnaire, corresponding to a response rate of 56.8%. The adoption rate of medication alert systems in hospital outpatient departments increased from less than 10% in 1997-95.83% in 2012. Approximately two-thirds of the hospitals developed and maintained the alert systems independently or collaboratively with vendors. Teaching and large hospitals tended to develop more advanced alert functions such as drug-drug interaction functions. Improving the safety and quality of pharmaceutical services and meeting the policy requirements are reasons for hospitals to establish medication alert systems. The adoption rate of medication alert systems reached 95% in accredited general hospitals in Taiwan. Government policy and available health information professionals and vendors may somewhat contribute to the high adoption rate.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D008508 Medication Errors Errors in prescribing, dispensing, or administering medication with the result that the patient fails to receive the correct drug or the indicated proper drug dosage. Drug Use Error,Errors, Medication,High-Alert Drug Error,High-Alert Medication Error,LASA Medication Errors,Look-Alike Drug Name Errors,Look-Alike Sound-Alike Drug Errors,Look-Alike Sound-Alike Drug Substitution Errors,Look-Alike Sound-Alike Medication Errors,Lookalike Drug Name Errors,Lookalike Soundalike Drug Errors,Lookalike Soundalike Drug Substitution Errors,Lookalike Soundalike Medication Errors,Drug Error, High-Alert,Drug Use Errors,Error, Drug Use,Error, LASA Medication,Error, Medication,High Alert Drug Error,High Alert Medication Error,High-Alert Drug Errors,High-Alert Medication Errors,LASA Medication Error,Look Alike Drug Name Errors,Look Alike Sound Alike Drug Errors,Look Alike Sound Alike Drug Substitution Errors,Look Alike Sound Alike Medication Errors,Medication Error,Medication Error, High-Alert,Medication Error, LASA,Medication Errors, High-Alert,Medication Errors, LASA
D008510 Medication Systems, Hospital Overall systems, traditional or automated, to provide medication to patients in hospitals. Elements of the system are: handling the physician's order, transcription of the order by nurse and/or pharmacist, filling the medication order, transfer to the nursing unit, and administration to the patient. Hospital Drug Distribution Systems,Hospital Medication System,Hospital Medication Systems,Medication System, Hospital,Drug Distribution System, Hospital,Drug Distribution Systems, Hospital,Hospital Unit Dose Drug Distribution System,Hospital Unit Dose Drug Distribution Systems,System Hospital Medication,Systems, Medication Hospital,Hospital Medication, System,Hospital Medications, System,Hospital System, Medication,Hospital Systems, Medication,Medication Hospital System,Medication Hospital Systems,Medication, System Hospital,Medications, System Hospital,System Hospital Medications,System, Hospital Medication,System, Medication Hospital,Systems, Hospital Medication
D010045 Outpatients Persons who receive ambulatory care at an outpatient department or clinic without room and board being provided. Out-patients,Out patients,Out-patient,Outpatient
D011795 Surveys and Questionnaires Collections of data obtained from voluntary subjects. The information usually takes the form of answers to questions, or suggestions. Community Survey,Nonrespondent,Questionnaire,Questionnaires,Respondent,Survey,Survey Method,Survey Methods,Surveys,Baseline Survey,Community Surveys,Methodology, Survey,Nonrespondents,Questionnaire Design,Randomized Response Technique,Repeated Rounds of Survey,Respondents,Survey Methodology,Baseline Surveys,Design, Questionnaire,Designs, Questionnaire,Methods, Survey,Questionnaire Designs,Questionnaires and Surveys,Randomized Response Techniques,Response Technique, Randomized,Response Techniques, Randomized,Survey, Baseline,Survey, Community,Surveys, Baseline,Surveys, Community,Techniques, Randomized Response
D004347 Drug Interactions The action of a drug that may affect the activity, metabolism, or toxicity of another drug. Drug Interaction,Interaction, Drug,Interactions, Drug
D006769 Hospitals, General Large hospitals with a resident medical staff which provides continuous care to maternity, surgical and medical patients. General Hospital,General Hospitals,Hospital, General
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D013624 Taiwan Country in eastern Asia, islands bordering the East China Sea, Philippine Sea, South China Sea, and Taiwan Strait, north of the Philippines, off the southeastern coast of China. The capital is Taipei. The alternate country name is Republic of China. Formosa,Republic of China
D050316 Medical Order Entry Systems Information systems, usually computer-assisted, that enable providers to initiate medical procedures, prescribe medications, etc. These systems support medical decision-making and error-reduction during patient care. CPOE,Order Entry Systems, Medical,Alert Systems, Medication,Computerized Physician Order Entry,Computerized Physician Order Entry System,Computerized Provider Order Entry,Computerized Provider Order Entry System,Medication Alert Systems,Alert System, Medication,Medication Alert System,System, Medication Alert
D057286 Electronic Health Records Media that facilitate transportability of pertinent information concerning patient's illness across varied providers and geographic locations. Some versions include direct linkages to online CONSUMER HEALTH INFORMATION that is relevant to the health conditions and treatments related to a specific patient. Electronic Health Record Data,Electronic Medical Record,Electronic Medical Records,Computerized Medical Record,Computerized Medical Records,Electronic Health Record,Medical Record, Computerized,Medical Records, Computerized,Health Record, Electronic,Health Records, Electronic,Medical Record, Electronic,Medical Records, Electronic

Related Publications

Yu-Chun Kuo, and Shou-Hsia Cheng
May 1952, Lancet (London, England),
Yu-Chun Kuo, and Shou-Hsia Cheng
January 2018, Journal of health services research & policy,
Yu-Chun Kuo, and Shou-Hsia Cheng
March 1973, Canadian Medical Association journal,
Yu-Chun Kuo, and Shou-Hsia Cheng
January 1995, Health trends,
Yu-Chun Kuo, and Shou-Hsia Cheng
October 2004, Advances in skin & wound care,
Yu-Chun Kuo, and Shou-Hsia Cheng
May 2008, Health economics,
Yu-Chun Kuo, and Shou-Hsia Cheng
January 2015, International journal of health care quality assurance,
Yu-Chun Kuo, and Shou-Hsia Cheng
May 1984, Topics in hospital pharmacy management,
Yu-Chun Kuo, and Shou-Hsia Cheng
April 2015, The Journal of emergency medicine,
Yu-Chun Kuo, and Shou-Hsia Cheng
June 2003, Ugeskrift for laeger,
Copied contents to your clipboard!