Which of the following is a method to prevent medication errors?

Confirming patient identity is a crucial method for preventing medication errors because it directly addresses the risk of administering the wrong medication to the wrong patient. Ensuring that healthcare providers verify a patient’s identity through established protocols—such as using two identifiers (e.g., name and date of birth)—significantly reduces the chances of mix-ups, especially in busy healthcare environments where multiple patients may have similar names.

When patient identity is confirmed, it adds an essential layer of safety, ensuring that the right medication is given to the right person. This method is fundamental in various settings, including hospitals, outpatient facilities, and pharmacies. By implementing this practice rigorously, healthcare providers can enhance patient safety and significantly reduce the likelihood of adverse drug events.

While routine audits, increasing the number of staff, and monitoring supply chains can play supportive roles in the overall medication safety strategy, confirming patient identity is a direct action that specifically targets one of the primary causes of medication errors.