Guideline for prevention of medication errors related to application of barcode technology in medical institutions
Medication Safety Panel in China Core Group of International Network for the Rational Use of Drugs, Chinese Pharmacological Society Professional Committee of Drug-induced Diseases, Adverse Drug Reactions Journal Agency
Abstract：Barcode technology is a kind of automatic recognition technology which is produced and developed in computer application and practice. Barcode technology has been widely used in drug purchase, management, dispensing, use and other aspects, and plays an important role in reducing human errors, improving work efficiency, and reducing medication errors in drug information check, information matching of drug and patient, and other important links. However, barcode technology can also lead to medication errors due to human operation, technical level, and other factors during application. In order to strengthen the prevention of medication errors related to the application of drug barcode technology in medical institutions, experts in pharmaceutical, nursing, informational, and management, who were organized by Medication Safety Panel in China Core Group of International Network for the Rational Use of Drugs, Chinese Pharmacological Society Professional Committee of Drug-induced Diseases, and Adverse Drug Reactions Journal Agency, formulate the guideline for prevention of medication errors in application of barcode technology in medical institutions after several argumentation based on the Expert Consensus on Medication Error Management in China. The medication errors related to drug barcode technology may occurred in links of drug storage and delivery, drug dispensing and distribution, intravenous drug admixture, inpatient drug administration, and etc. The risk factors include systematic factors (damaged barcode quality, poor barcode printing quality, scanning and printing equipment problems, packaging problems, system defects, and sharing difficulties of internal barcode information) and human factors (barcode information maintenance error, not timely information update, wrong pasted barcode, too little internal barcode information, operation error, and improper implementation). The prevention strategies for medication errors related to drug barcode application include technical strategies (including enforcement and constraint policies, automation and information, establishment of good checking system) and management strategies (including regulatory framework, environment and personnel). The guideline is formulated for all medical staff involved in the application and management of drug barcode technology in medical institutions.
合理用药国际网络中国中心组临床安全用药组 中国药理学会药源性疾病学专业委员会 药物不良反应杂志社. 医疗机构药品条码技术应用相关用药错误防范指导原则[J]. 药物不良反应杂志, 2020, 22(1): 6-11.
Medication Safety Panel in China Core Group of International Network for the Rational Use of Drugs, Chinese Pharmacological Society Professional Committee of Drug-induced Diseases, Adverse Drug Reacti. Guideline for prevention of medication errors related to application of barcode technology in medical institutions. Adverse Drug Reactions Journal, 2020, 22(1): 6-11.
