Identifying drug safety issues: from research to practice

Purpose. Adverse drug events (ADEs), or injuries due to drugs, are common a nd often preventable. However, identifying ADEs, potential ADEs, and medica tion errors can be a major challenge. In this review we describe methodolog ies that have been used to identify these events and give strategies for id entification in non-study settings. Results. Methods such as voluntary reporting, chart review and computerized monitoring for events have been most commonly used in studies of ADEs in i npatients. However, voluntary reporting, the method most hospitals currentl y use, has a very low yield of events. Chart review is much more sensitive but the costs are prohibitive. Computerized monitoring for ADEs (using rule s or triggers) is a high yield and relatively inexpensive strategy that sho uld be adopted by organizations. A limitation of this strategy, however, is that it identifies few medication errors and potential ADEs, which are als o important. These can be captured through pharmacy logs, chart review, and direct observation. Once events have been identified, they can be classifi ed by type of event, severity, and preventability. In non-study settings, t he most practical method for identifying ADEs is computerized monitoring, a nd for identifying prescribing errors it is pharmacy logs of interventions. Once problems are found, a structure (either individual or committee) must be in place to classify them, identify opportunities for improvement, and carry out the necessary changes. Conclusions. Health care organizations have the technology to significantly improve their detection of ADEs, medication errors, and potential ADEs. Id entification and subsequent classification of events is crucial for quality efforts to improve patient safety.