Authors (including presenting author) :
Szeto TL(1), TAM S(9), Leung C(9), Cheng PL(1), Wong TF(1), Mok KW(1), Luk J(2), Lee MH(3), Lei PO(8), Wong CW(7), Chen J(9), Yick PK(9), Leung CP(7), Chan KC(5), Tam KK(4), Chan KC(4), Lam CY(1), Yu HY(3), Yuen CK(2), Lee L (6), Chu M(6), Leung YYJ(1), Wong TW(1), Wong WL(1)
Affiliation :
(1) RTSKH Department of Medicine & Geriatrics, (2) RTSKH Department of A&E, (3) RTSKH Department of Surgery, (4) RTSKH Department of Orthopaedics & Traumatology, (5) PYNEH Department of Ear, Nose, & Throat, (6) PYNEH/ RTSKH Department of Anaethesia, (7) RTSKH Nursing Services Division, (8) Department of Intensive Care Unit (9) Department of Pharmacy
Introduction :
Since 2016, the Hospital MedWatch bulletin, initiated by the Medication Safety Committee of RTSKH, has aimed to enhance medication safety among healthcare professionals, including doctors, nurses, and pharmacy staff. This quarterly publication serves as a vital resource for disseminating critical information on medication practices, with a focus on improving patient safety.
Objectives :
The primary objectives of the bulletin are to promote awareness of medication safety, share insights on common prescribing errors, and provide practical recommendations for frontline healthcare staff. By fostering a collaborative approach among managing editors from various departments, the bulletin seeks to ensure that the content is relevant and beneficial to its audience.
Methodology :
The bulletin is published quarterly and has circulated over 33 editions since its inception. Each issue features:
1. An "Editorial Pick" Section: highlighting current issues in medication safety, such as Purple Glove Syndrome, therapeutic duplication and allergy checks for patients with pseudo-ID.
2. Common Types of Prescription Error: sharing of common prescribing traps with explanations.
3. Incident and Near-miss Trends: monitoring and sharing of the trends and types of errors.
4. Incident Summary: summarised cases of medication incidents reported in the Advanced Incidents Reporting System (AIRS) by means of comic are shared along with practical tips and recommendations for improvement.
A satisfaction survey was conducted in November 2024, gathering 85 feedbacks from doctors (11.8%), nurses (72.9%), and pharmacy staff (15.3%) regarding the bulletin's impact.
Result & Outcome :
The survey results indicated a high level of satisfaction among the target audience, with 92.9% expressing overall contentment with the publication. Furthermore, 98.9% agreed that the bulletin positively impacted their practice, while 81.2% found the information provided to be very useful. Additionally, 89.4% noted that the content was relevant to their professional responsibilities. The feedback underscores the effectiveness of the bulletin in enhancing awareness of medication safety and enriching the knowledge among frontline doctors, nurses, and pharmacy staff.
The Hospital MedWatch bulletin has proven to be a valuable tool in promoting medication safety among healthcare professionals at RTSKH. Through its collaborative approach and focus on relevant topics, it has significantly increased awareness and knowledge of medication practices. The positive feedback from the satisfaction survey highlights the bulletin’s role in fostering a culture of safety and continuous improvement in medication management within the hospital. Future efforts will aim to further engage the audience and address emerging challenges in medication safety. (Word 392)
