It is well accepted that dispensing or medication errors occur with some regularity in the practice of pharmacy. While most dispensing errors are never reported to the Board of Pharmacy, once they are, there are consequences for the dispensing pharmacist. For a first and second reported dispensing error, the dispensing pharmacist is at risk of professional discipline by the Board of Pharmacy, most likely a reprimand, and a fine ranging from $1,000 to $5,000.

During one recent case, however, it was revealed to me that the Board of Pharmacy is of the view that for a third reported dispensing error, the presumptive sanction is a fine, plus five-years of probation, and loss of pharmacist-in-charge (PIC) privileges. This is true even when pharmacy workload is a factor, and the prescription involves a look-alike or sound-alike drug.

What you need to know

You need to know that the Board of Pharmacy is imposing discipline upon pharmacists for dispensing errors even though pharmacists know, and the literature establishes, that dispensing errors cannot be fully prevented. For example, according to one study cited by the Institute of Medicine’s 2007 report, 1.7 percent of new and refill prescriptions are dispensed in error:

This more recent, large-scale study of both new prescriptions and prescription refills found an error rate of 1.7 percent (Flynn, et al., 2003). This dispensing error rate translates to approximately 4 errors per 250 prescriptions per pharmacy per day, or an estimated 51.5 million errors during the filling of 3 billion prescriptions each year. One study of medication errors at Medco Health Solutions, Inc., a large mail order pharmacy, carried out by Medco employees, found a dispensing error rate of 0.075 percent—16 dispensing errors among 21,252 prescriptions (Teagarden, et al., 2005).

Preventing Medication Errors: Quality Chasm Series (2007). Retrieved from: http://books.nap.edu/openbook.php?record_id=11623&page=113.

Applying the above error rate of 1.7% to a pharmacy filling 1,500 prescriptions per week indicates that 25 dispensing errors occur each week in that pharmacy. Dispensing errors are not, however, fully preventable, due to what has been described by Stuart R. Levine, et al., as a “latent failure” in the practice of pharmacy:

“Medication errors rarely occur from the failure of a single element or because of mistakes from a single practitioner. Rather medication errors are the result of the combined effects of ‚Äòlatent failures’ in the system and ‚Äòactive failures’ by individuals. Latent failures are weaknesses in the structure of the organization, * * * . By themselves, latent failures are often subtle and may cause no problems. Their consequences are hidden, becoming apparent only when they occur in proper sequence and are combined with active failures of individuals to penetrate or bypass the system’s safety nets. Many of the latent and active failures that were at the root of medication errors are not apparent until a root cause analysis is performed. [Footnote omitted] For this reason, providing an optimal level medication safety requires both recognition and correction of latent failures in the system. * * * . It is unrealistic to expect absolute perfection or error free performance from any person. * * * .”

Stuart R. Levine, et al., Guidelines for Preventing Mediation Errors in Pediatrics, p. 427.