Enhancing medication error reporting through interprofessional education: analysis of Medwatch reporting accuracy and completion rates between teams and individuals.

BACKGROUND

Each year, the Food and Drug Administration receives over 2 million adverse event and medication error reports, which are likely underreported. Interprofessional education (IPE) is well positioned to provide team-based training regarding medication safety and related reporting tools. This study evaluated the effectiveness of a single IPE session designed to improve the completion and accuracy of healthcare professional students' reporting of medication errors.

METHODS

An IPE session, with medical and pharmacy students, presented a case report involving a medication dispensing error that resulted in a patient's death. The session included three components: the case presentation; a discussion of the implications of the medication error on the patient, family, and care providers; and a hands-on activity where students practiced error reporting using a simulated MedWatch platform. The students' reports were analyzed for completeness and accuracy, based on data available from the case presentation. Individual versus team submissions across disciplines were compared.

RESULTS

Of the 701 participants who completed the session between 2021 and 2024, 225 submitted the simulated MedWatch report (32% response rate). This final sample included 111 medical students, 53 pharmacy students, and 61 interprofessional teams. The median form completion rate for teams was 88.9% compared to 55.6% for individuals. Teams demonstrated higher form accuracy rates (66.7%) compared with individuals (38.9%). Students agreed that practicing the reporting of an adverse drug event was a useful activity, while pharmacy students (p = 0.014) and teams (p = 0.043) felt more confident reporting an adverse drug event than medical students after this activity.

CONCLUSION

Following an IPE training session focused on error reporting, we observed that team-based submission of MedWatch forms resulted in improved completion and accuracy rates. Integrating an interprofessional training session focused on medication safety and error reporting in health professionals' curricula appeared to be effective in the short term. Longer term studies are necessary to determine the impact and durability of this training.

CLINICAL TRIAL NUMBER

Not applicable.