title: The business case for medication safety.
abstract: The decision to invest in a medication-safety system should take into account not only implementation costs but also reduced hospital costs for treating complications resulting from medication errors and potential liability. Medication-safety programs should be analyzed and planned the same as any other investment. Providers should base their projected return from a medication-safety system on intangible benefits to the organization as well as an ROI calculation. Investment in medication-safety systems can be justified in terms of risk management and legal liability.
authors.affiliation: Bridge Medical Inc., Solana Beach, Calif., USA. tkinninger@bridgemedical.com
authors.forename: Terance
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kinninger
authors.forename: Lee
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Reeder
mesh_terms: D016907:Adverse Drug Reaction Reporting Systems / Q000191:economics*; D002201:Capital Expenditures; D016303:Clinical Pharmacy Information Systems / Q000191:economics*; D005377:Financial Management, Hospital; D006801:Humans; D007049:Iatrogenic Disease / Q000517:prevention & control; D007449:Investments; D016365:Liability, Legal; D008508:Medication Errors / Q000191:economics / Q000517:prevention & control*; D008510:Medication Systems, Hospital / Q000191:economics / Q000592:standards*; D019982:Organizational Case Studies; D017751:Safety Management / Q000191:economics; D014481:United States