Biometric palm vein authentication of psychiatric patients for reducing in-hospital medication errors: a pre–post observational study

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to evaluate a biometric palm vein authentication system to prevent medication administration errors in psychiatric hospitals. DESIGN: This is a pre–post observational study. SETTING: Conventionally, the medication was distributed after a double check. We developed and introduced a new medication administration cart in two psychiatric hospitals in Japan, in which each patient-specific drug box had to be electronically opened only by palm vein authentication. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 3444 and 3523 patients were present 18 months before and after introducing the cart, respectively. Of the 212 nurses recruited, 28 were excluded due to a lack of experience with the conventional medication administration system and incomplete questionnaires. PRIMARY AND SECONDARY OUTCOME MEASURES: The primary outcome was the efficacy of this system by comparing the incidence of medication administration errors before and after introducing the cart. The secondary outcome was a survey regarding nurses’ attitudes toward this system. RESULTS: After introduction of the new system, the number of medication errors due to misidentification of persons relative to the total number of admitted patients was significantly reduced from 6/3444 to 2/3523 (p<0.0001). Among 184 nurses, 182 responded that anxiety regarding administration errors was either reduced or unchanged using this system. Male nurses reported a greater increase in work burden than female nurses (OR=3.11, 95% CI=1.44 to 6.72). Nurses working in chronic care wards reported greater time pressure than nurses working in emergency wards (OR=3.33, 95% CI=1.16 to 9.57). Nurses working in dementia care wards reported a greater patient care burden than nurses working in emergency wards (OR=5.67, 95% CI=1.22 to 26.27). CONCLUSIONS: This new system might have potential for reducing the patient misidentification risk during medication without increasing the anxiety experienced by nurses concerning administration errors. However, system usability and efficiency must be improved to reduce additional work burden, time pressure and patient care burden.