Prevention of adverse events in hospitalized patients using an antimicrobial review program.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate whether an antimicrobial review system is associated with a reduction in antimicrobial-associated adverse events.


METHODS
All antimicrobial medication orders for patients hospitalized over a two-year period were evaluated. High-level interventions intended to prevent adverse antimicrobial events were collated. Based on literature estimates of adverse antimicrobial events, potential reduction of high-level adverse antimicrobial events was estimated.


METHODS
Department of Clinical Pharmacy and Division of Infectious Diseases at a tertiary care teaching hospital.


RESULTS
A total of 452 interventions were classified as "high-level." The incidence of preventable adverse antimicrobial events requiring intervention was 16 per 1000 antimicrobial orders. The incidence of high-level errors necessitating intervention was 4.4 per 1000 antimicrobial orders. An estimated 125 to 198 high-level adverse events were avoided.


CONCLUSIONS
An antimicrobial review program has the potential to reduce significant adverse events in hospitalized patients.
Guglielmo
B J
BJ
Department of Clinical Pharmacy, School of Pharmacy, University of California at San Francisco 94143-0622, USA. bjg@itsa.ucsf.edu
Luber
A D
AD
Corelli
R L
RL
Flaherty
J F
JF
Jacobs
R A
RA
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016903:Drug Monitoring; D017723:Drug Utilization Review; D005845:Georgia; D006801:Humans; D010607:Pharmacy Service, Hospital
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents