Abstract

Background: Medication prescribing faults are a common and potentially preventable source of patient harm, leading to increased morbidity, mortality, and healthcare costs. Objective: To quantify the direct inpatient costs associated with medication prescribing faults in a series of hospitalized patients at a tertiary care center in Serbia. Methods: A retrospective case series involving ten adult patients hospitalized during 2024 at the University Clinical Center in Kragujevac was analyzed. Prescribing faults were identified and corrected by clinical pharmacologists. Consequences and costs were extracted from the hospital information system using microcosting methodology. Results: The median total cost attributable to prescribing faults was EUR 1,291.89 (interquartile range – IQR was EUR 2,664.62). Medication costs accounted for 78% of total expenditures. The median hospital stay was prolonged by 10 days (IQR 4.5), incurring substantial additional cost. Conclusion: Prescribing faults result in considerable financial burden, primarily due to medication expenses and prolonged hospitalization. Preventive strategies and pharmacological oversight may significantly reduce these avoidable costs.

Key words: prescribing faults, inpatients, case series, treatment costs.