Medication Safety Unit Programs in King Saud Medical City, 2012 – 2013: Safe Medication Management and Use with a Focus on Patient Safety

Abstract

Background: Medication safety unit [MSU] streamlines the safe management and use of prescribed medications and reduction in all types of medication errors [MEs], and associated morbidity and mortality resulting in enhanced patient safety, better quality of healthcare services and cost saving. Objective: This study aims to describe MSU programs together with their purposes developed in King Saud Medical City [KSMC], Saudi Arabia and supports them with related policies and guidelines based on qualitative evidence-based research done across the world. Methods: A mixed study was designed to define programs, roles and annual plan of MSU, which was established in year 2012. Multiple awareness campaigns and training courses were organized for highlighting the significance of MSU among healthcare providers and consumers in KSMC. Results: The MSU developed 14 programs and annual medication safety plan of actions together with respective policies, procedures and guidelines, well supported by qualitative evidence-based research data for improving safe medication management and use associated with reported reduction in MEs, and increased patient safety and quality of healthcare. Conclusion: MSU is a useful tool to encourage reporting of MEs, which are reported to increase patient safety and safe medication management and tends to decrease the number of MEs. Beside establishing MSU in all hospitals, this study calls for a randomized controlled study in future that will identify potential risk factors that impact safe medication management and are associated with patient safety not only in Saudi Arabia but also in other Arabian Gulf countries.