Table 3.
Aggregate data synthesis for included studies by comparator status.
| Characteristic | Number of studies (%) |
||
|---|---|---|---|
| Total (n = 102) | Comparative (n = 86) | Noncomparative (n = 16) | |
| Location of study | |||
| Argentina | 1 (1) | 1 (1) | 0 |
| Brazil | 1 (1) | 1 (1) | 0 |
| Canada | 3 (3) | 3 (3) | 0 |
| China | 1 (1) | 0 | 1 (6) |
| Denmark | 1 (1) | 1 (1) | 0 |
| Egypt | 1 (1) | 1 (1) | 0 |
| France | 1 (1) | 1 (1) | 0 |
| Germany | 1 (1) | 1 (1) | 0 |
| Greece | 1 (1) | 1 (1) | 0 |
| India | 1 (1) | 0 | 1 (6) |
| Iran | 3 (3) | 3 (3) | 0 |
| Israel | 2 (2) | 2 (2) | 0 |
| Malaysia | 1 (1) | 1 (1) | 0 |
| Netherlands | 2 (2) | 2 (2) | 0 |
| Spain | 9 (9) | 7 (8) | 2 (13) |
| Switzerland | 3 (3) | 2 (2) | 1 (6) |
| Thailand | 1 (1) | 1 (1) | 0 |
| UK | 9 (9) | 9 (10) | 0 |
| US | 60 (59) | 49 (57) | 11 (69) |
| Year | |||
| 1970–1979 | 1 (1) | 1 (1) | 0 |
| 1980–1989 | 2 (2) | 1 (1) | 1 (6) |
| 1990–1999 | 3 (3) | 3 (3) | 0 |
| 2000–2009 | 54 (53) | 47 (55) | 7 (44) |
| ⩾2010 | 42 (41) | 34 (40) | 8 (50) |
| Patient location | |||
| NICU only | 38 (37) | 34 (40) | 4 (25) |
| NICU/PICU | 64 (63) | 52 (60) | 12 (75) |
| Intervention theme | |||
| Technology | 38 (37) | 34 (40) | 4 (25) |
| Multifactorial | 18 (18) | 17 (20) | 1 (6) |
| Organizational | 16 (16) | 14 (16) | 2 (13) |
| Personnel | 13 (13) | 13 (15) | 0 |
| Pharmacy | 9 (9) | 2 (2) | 7 (44) |
| Hazard and risk analysis | 8 (8) | 6 (7) | 2 (13) |
| Individual type of intervention | |||
| CPOE ± CDS | 20 (20) | 20 (23) | 0 |
| Education | 13 (13) | 13 (15) | 0 |
| GPPs | 9 (9) | 7 (8) | 2 (13) |
| Pharmacy services | 9 (9) | 2 (2) | 7 (44) |
| IV administration technology | 4 (4) | 1 (1) | 3 (19) |
| Electronic computer programmes | 7 (7) | 7 (8) | 0 |
| Medication distribution and supply | 6 (6) | 6 (7) | 0 |
| Barcoding | 3 (3) | 2 (2) | 1 (6) |
| CDS | 2 (2) | 2 (2) | 0 |
| Quality improvement tools | 4 (4) | 3 (3) | 1 (6) |
| Error detection tool | 3 (3) | 3 (3) | 0 |
| Multifactorial | 18 (18) | 17 (20) | 1 (6) |
| Other | 4 (4) | 3 (3) | 1 (6) |
| Types of medication errors collected | |||
| Prescribing | 41 (40) | 38 (44) | 3 (19) |
| Administration | 26 (25) | 21 (24) | 5 (31) |
| Monitoring | 1 (1) | 1 (1) | 0 |
| Multiple types | 34 (33) | 26 (30) | 8 (50) |
Abbreviations: CDS, clinical decision support; CPOE, computerized physician order entry; GPPs, guidelines, policies, and procedures; NICU, neonatal intensive care unit; PICU, paediatric intensive care unit; IV, intravenous.