Reducing Adverse Drug Events

Adverse drug events (ADEs) result in more than 770,000 injuries and deaths each year and cost up to $5.6 million per hospital, depending on size. Many ADE injuries and resulting hospital costs can be reduced if hospitals make changes to their systems for preventing and detecting ADEs.

According to the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality:

• Patients who experienced adverse drug events (ADEs) were hospitalized an average of 8 to 12 days longer than patients who did not suffer ADEs, and their hospitalization cost $16,000 to $24,000 more.
• Anywhere from 28 percent to 95 percent of ADEs can be prevented by reducing medication errors through computerized monitoring systems.
• Computerized medication order entry has the potential to prevent an estimated 84 percent of dose, frequency, and route errors.
• Hospitals can save as much as $500,000 annually in direct costs by using computerized systems.

As the Medicare Quality Improvement Organization for Missouri, Primaris is committed to reducing ADEs. For more information, contact:

• Dorothy Andrae (hospital-based providers)
• Deborah Finley (nursing home and physicians' office-based providers)

	Resource Materials > Clinical Education Adverse Drug Event Triggers Bring more focus to your record review process with this list of adverse drug event triggers. This resource was developed by the Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI). Download here | Editor's note: Link takes you to the IHI ADE page. Registration with the IHI.org Web site is required to download IHI files.
	System Change Tools > Clinical Education Readiness Actions in Clinical Pharmacy Services This handout -- part of the Department of Health's Patient Safety and Clinical Pharmacy Change Package -- helps providers at the beginning stages of the change process. hrsa_pspc_change_package_2010.pdf
	Resource Materials > Clinical Education First Things First in Clinical Pharmacy Services This handout -- part of the Department of Health's Patient Safety and Clinical Pharmacy Change Package -- helps define the Clinical Pharmacy Services process. hrsa_pspc_first_things_first.pdf
	Resource Materials > Clinical Education Population of Focus Request Template This presentation slide helps providers focus on high-risk patients in an ambulatory patient population, and to identify a sub-group to implement targeted clinical pharmacy interventions. pspc_POF_request_template.ppt
	Publications > Patient Education How to B-SAFE while taking Coumadin / warfarin Publication #: MO-12-02-DS This tri-fold brochure (originally created by MPRO, the Medicare QIO of Michigan), this material instructs patients how to stay safe when prescribed Coumadin or warfarin. B_SAFE_Brochure.pdf