title: Acute Hospital Admissions Because of Health Care-Related Adverse Events: A Retrospective Study of 5 Specialist Departments.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Health care-related adverse events (HCRAEs), which should not be confused with (blameworthy) medical errors, are common; they can lead to hospital admissions and can have grave consequences. Although they are sometimes potentially preventable, information is lacking on HCRAEs leading to admission to different departments.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This study aimed to gain insight into the incidence, type, severity, and preventability of HCRAEs (including adverse drug events) leading to hospitalization to the departments of internal medicine, surgery, orthopedics, neurology, and neurosurgery. Further, we explore if there are differences regarding these HCRAEs between these departments.
  
  
  METHODS
  We retrospectively evaluated the medical records of all patients admitted through the emergency department (ED) in a 6-month period to the departments of internal medicine, surgery, orthopedics, neurology, and neurosurgery. All patients admitted because of HCRAEs were included.
  
  
  RESULTS
  More than one-fifth (21.8%; range 12.0%-47.8%) of all admissions to the 5 departments were due to a HCRAE. Half (49.9%) of these HCRAEs were medication-related and 30.5% were procedure-related. In 6.5% of patients, the HCRAE led to permanent disability and another 4.4% of patients died during hospitalization. HCRAEs treated by internists and neurologists were usually medication-related, whereas HCRAEs treated by surgeons, orthopedic surgeons, and neurosurgeons were usually procedure-related.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Hospital admissions to different departments are often caused by HCRAEs, which sometimes lead to permanent disability or even death. Gaining insight into similarities and differences in HCRAEs occurring in different specialties is a starting point for improving clinical outcomes.
authors.affiliation: Division of General Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Maastricht University Medical Centre, Maastricht University, Maastricht, the Netherlands. Electronic address: fabienne.magdelijns@mumc.nl.
authors.forename: Fabienne J H
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Magdelijns
authors.affiliation: Division of General Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Maastricht University Medical Centre, Maastricht University, Maastricht, the Netherlands; Section of Clinical Geriatric Medicine, Maastricht University Medical Centre, Maastricht University, Maastricht, the Netherlands.
authors.forename: Evelien
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Pijpers
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Maastricht University Medical Centre, Maastricht University, Maastricht, the Netherlands.
authors.forename: Rob P W
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: Rouhl
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery and Trauma Surgery, Maastricht University Medical Centre, Maastricht University, Maastricht, the Netherlands.
authors.forename: Pascal F W
authors.initials: PF
authors.lastname: Hannemann
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Maastricht University Medical Centre, Maastricht University, Maastricht, the Netherlands.
authors.forename: René H M
authors.initials: RH
authors.lastname: ten Broeke
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Maastricht University Medical Centre, Maastricht University, Maastricht, the Netherlands.
authors.forename: Jim T A
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Dings
authors.affiliation: Division of General Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Maastricht University Medical Centre, Maastricht University, Maastricht, the Netherlands; Cardiovascular Research Institute Maastricht, Maastricht University Medical Centre, Maastricht University, Maastricht, the Netherlands; School of CAPHRI, Maastricht University Medical Centre, Maastricht University, Maastricht, the Netherlands.
authors.forename: Coen D A
authors.initials: CD
authors.lastname: Stehouwer
authors.affiliation: Division of General Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Maastricht University Medical Centre, Maastricht University, Maastricht, the Netherlands; School of CAPHRI, Maastricht University Medical Centre, Maastricht University, Maastricht, the Netherlands; Section of Acute Medicine, Maastricht University Medical Centre, Maastricht University, Maastricht, the Netherlands.
authors.forename: Patricia M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Stassen
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006748:Hospital Departments; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008485:Medical Audit; D019300:Medical Errors; D008875:Middle Aged; D009426:Netherlands; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013038:Specialization; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Adverse events; acute admissions; adverse drug reactions/events; the Netherlands