Reducing and Preventing Adverse Drug Events to Decrease Hospital Costs. Researchin Action. Issue Number 1

摘要

This report from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) focuses onadverse drug events (ADEs) occurring during hospitalization. AHRQ funds grants designed to reduce medical errors based on the integration of best practices, provider education, and advances in information technology, and it will continue to fund these grants in 2001. Patients who experienced ADEs were hospitalized 8-12 days longer than patients who did not suffer ADEs, and their hospitalization cost $16,000-$24,000 more. Moreover, ADEs cost up to $5.6 million each year per hospital, depending on hospital size. But many of these injuries and resulting costs to hospitals can be reduced if hospitals make changes to their systems for preventing and detecting ADEs. Research funded by AHRQ shows that computerized systems can reduce medication errors and prevent from 28 percent to 95 percent of ADEs. Computerized systems can prompt doctors to take into consideration factors such as patient weight and renal function when ordering medications and can also suggest monitoring tests appropriate for the medication. If ADEs occur, computerized systems can detect them early so that interventions can begin.