Table 1.

Major categories of the technology-related error mechanism classification.^25a

Mechanism category	Definition
1. Incorrect system configuration or system malfunction	Errors within the system itself, such as errors in pre-programmed order sentences.
2. Prescribing on the wrong patient record	Errors that occur when prescriber uses an incorrect patient record and prescribes medication clearly not intended for the patient.
3. Selection errors	Errors that occur when any element during prescribing is selected incorrectly from pre-programmed options presented by the system, eg, from a drop-down menu.
4. Construction errors	Errors that occur when constructing an order or typing free text, rather than selecting from drop-down lists or editing order sentences.
5. Editing errors	Errors that occur when editing (or not editing) a selected prepopulated order sentence or existing order (that are not selection errors or construction errors) eg, ondansetron intravenous order sentence is selected and then was edited to oral without removing “infuse over 15 minutes” from the order comments.
6. Errors that occur when using workflows that differ from a paper-based system	Examples include inadvertently creating inpatient orders when attempting to order discharge medication, and failure to refresh the medication profile resulting in missing recent medication changes and thus, prescribing in error.
7. Use of hybrid systems (contributing factor)	Errors that occur when 2 different systems are used for prescribing including some prescribing remaining on paper medication charts or the use of different electronic systems.

^aFull classification shown in Supplementary files.