Drug supply shortages: assesing their impact on patient safety in a secondary level hospital
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.60103/phc.v28.e918Keywords:
Pharmaceutical preparations / supply & distribution; Patient safety; Medication ErrorsAbstract
Introduction: In recent years, drug supply problems have increased considerably. The objective of this study was to analyze the impact of drug shortages on patient safety and the strategies implemented in a Hospital Pharmacy Service to minimize their impact.
Method: A retrospective, single-center observational study of drug shortages reported by the Spanish Agency of Medicines and Medical Devices (AEMPS) in 2022, affecting medications available in a secondary-level hospital. Various measures taken to mitigate their impact were analyzed.
Results: In 2022, AEMPS reported 2,318 supply shortages, affecting 84 drug presentations available in the hospital. The most impacted therapeutic groups were anti-infectives, antineoplastics, and immunomodulators. Different solutions were implemented, including supplier changes (45.2%), importation of foreign medications (26.2%), formulation changes (9.5%), among others. When changing the usual drug presentation, various measures were adopted to minimize potential medication errors affecting patient safety, such as relabeling due to foreign language or isoappearance issues.
Conclusions: Drug shortages have a significant impact on pharmacy management, patient safety, and hospital expenses. The Hospital Pharmacy implemented various actions to minimize their impact and prevent adverse events, highlighting the need to develop a standardized protocol. Further studies are necessary to assess the real impact of drug supply shortages on patient safety.
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