Table 2
Error classification and summary results
| Error category | Total | Crude error rate per 1000 appointments | % of total errors |
|---|---|---|---|
| Prescriptions | 397 | 31.9 | 42.2 |
| Administrative (e.g. prescription not ready, missing) | 204 | 16.4 | 21.7 |
| Clerical (e.g. prescriptions not signed, incorrect patient details) | 159 | 12.8 | 16.9 |
| Medication (e.g. incorrect drug dose) | 22 | 1.8 | 2.3 |
| Inaccurate computer prescribing records | 12 | 1.0 | 1.3 |
| Communication | 282 | 22.7 | 30.0 |
| Case notes missing | 122 | 9.8 | 13.0 |
| Delivery of post | 67 | 5.4 | 7.1 |
| Information missing or in the wrong place | 46 | 3.7 | 4.9 |
| Wrong case notes (e.g. patients with similar names) | 21 | 1.7 | 2.2 |
| Failure to pass on/collect messages | 18 | 1.4 | 1.9 |
| Referral errors | 8 | 0.6 | 0.9 |
| Equipment | 153 | 12.3 | 16.3 |
| Computer not working | 122 | 9.8 | 13.0 |
| Other equipment | 31 | 2.5 | 3.3 |
| Appointments | 63 | 5.1 | 6.7 |
| (eg, patient given incorrect appointment details) | |||
| Clinical | 24 | 1.9 | 2.6 |
| Note keeping/recording | 13 | 1.0 | 1.4 |
| Diagnostic | 5 | 0.4 | 0.5 |
| Therapeutic | 3 | 0.2 | 0.3 |
| Omission | 3 | 0.2 | 0.3 |
| Others | 21 | 1.7 | 2.2 |
| Total number of errors | 940 | 75.6 | 100.0 |
