The perioperative setting is one of the hospital areas with the highest prevalence of medication errors. As a result of high volumes of activity and high turnover rates, patients experience a high number of care transitions over a short period of time, the same anesthesiologist prescribes and administers medicines without any other professionals or technologies verifying that no error has been made, which is particularly dangerous in cases where high-risk medications are used.
Hospital pharmacists are strategically positioned to implement medication error mitigation programs given their extensive experience in the development of safe drug use practices. However, the evidence on the role of pharmacists in the perioperative setting is scarce given their limited access to surgical blocks, the absence of technologies related to the drug use circuit (prescription, dispensing and administration) and a lack of time and personnel. These are the reasons leading to the creation of SEFH’s Faquir workgroup on surgical pharmacy.