title: Even in best-run centers, preventable medication errors lengthen LOS, increase costs.
abstract: Preventing adverse drug events. Adverse drug events aren't always fatal, but they invariably add to length of stay and health care costs. Boston researchers estimate that adverse drug events cost a 700-bed teaching hospital about $5.6 million annually, $2.8 million of which is preventable. Albany Medical Center looked closer at factors that contribute to adverse drug events, putting in place a medication error detection program that prevented 2,100 errors in one year.
mesh_terms: D016907:Adverse Drug Reaction Reporting Systems; D016303:Clinical Pharmacy Information Systems; D004347:Drug Interactions; D017721:Hospital Costs / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D017052:Hospital Mortality; D006801:Humans; D007902:Length of Stay / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008498:Medical Record Linkage; D008508:Medication Errors / Q000191:economics / Q000517:prevention & control*; D009518:New York; D010607:Pharmacy Service, Hospital / Q000191:economics / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000592:standards; D010934:Planning Techniques; D014589:Utah