A project to reduce the number of PIMs (potentially inappropriate medications) on an elderly care ward

"A systematic approach to ward rounds with a ward round checklist offers a rigorous method to reduce the prevalence of PIMs, and the frequency of adverse drug events. This has important implications in the wider context of growing pressures to deliver higher standards of cost effective clinical care."

Less is more: a project to reduce the number of PIMs (potentially inappropriate medications) on an elderly care ward
T H Aung, A J Beck, T Siese, R Berrisford
BMJ Quality Improvement Reports 2015;5: doi:10.1136/bmjquality.u207857.w4260

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A patient-initiated voluntary online survey of adverse medical events

"This large voluntary survey of medical harm highlights the potential efficacy of patient-initiated surveys for providing meaningful feedback and for guiding improvements in patient care."

A patient-initiated voluntary online survey of adverse medical events: the perspective of 696 injured patients and families
FS Southwick, NM Cranley, JA Hallisy
BMJ Quality and Safety 2015;24:620-629 doi:10.1136/bmjqs-2015-003980

Read more here.

How-to Guide: Prevent Adverse Drug Events

"This How-to Guide describes key evidence-based care components to prevent adverse drug events (ADEs) by implementing medication reconciliation at all transitions in care (at admission, transfer, and discharge), describes how to implement these interventions, and recommends measures to gauge improvement." 

How-to Guide: Prevent Adverse Drug Events (Medication Reconciliation)
Institute for Healthcare Improvement
2011

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Pediatric Trigger Toolkits

"Adapted from proven adult trigger tools, the Pediatric ADE Trigger Tool provides a powerful yet simple method to detect medication-related harm in pediatric inpatients. The related Trigger Toolkit available below can help hospitals implement medication system changes to ensure fewer drug-related injuries."

Pediatric Trigger Toolkit: Measuring Adverse Events in the PICU Using a PICU Trigger Tool 
​Child Health Corporation of America

Access the toolkit here.

Implementing medication reconciliation from the planner's perspective

"Medication reconciliation can reduce adverse events associated with prescribing errors at transitions between sites of care."

Implementing medication reconciliation from the planner's perspective: a qualitative study
SH Sanchez, SS Sethi, SL Santos, K Boockvar
BMC Health Services Research 2014, 14:290

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International prevalence of adverse drug events in hospitals

"Adverse drug events (ADEs) are frequent in hospitals, occurring either in patients before admission or as a nosocomial event, and either as a drug reaction or as a consequence of a medication error. Routine data primarily recorded for reimbursement purposes are increasingly being used on a national level both in pharmacoepidemiological studies and in trigger tools. The aim of this study was to compare the prevalence rates of coded ADEs in hospitals on a transnational level."

International prevalence of adverse drug events in hospitals: an analysis of routine data from England, Germany, and the USA
J Stausberg
BMC Health Services Research, 2014, 14:125

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Evaluating adverse drug event reporting in administrative data from emergency departments

"Adverse drug events to outpatient medications were underreported in emergency department administrative data compared to the number of adverse drug events diagnosed and recorded at the point-of-care."

Evaluating adverse drug event reporting in administrative data from emergency departments: a validation study
CM Hohl, L Kuramoto, E Yu, B Rogula, J Stausberg, B Sobolev
BMC Health Services Research, 2013, 13:473

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Keeping patients safe when they transfer between care providers

"Improving the transfer of information about medicines across all care settings should help to reduce incidents of avoidable harm to patients, improving patient safety and contributing to a reduction in avoidable medicines related admissions and readmissions to hospital."

Keeping patients safe when they transfer between care providers - getting the medicines right
Royal Pharmaceutical Society
June 2012

Read more here.