• CONSUMERS

How do Adverse Drug Events occur?

Adverse Drug Events occur when:

• The wrong medication is given to a person
• The wrong dose of a medication is given to a person
• A person is given medication to which they have a known allergy
• The medication is given to the person incorrectly (for example by mouth instead of by injection)
• The medication is given to a person at the wrong time or doses are missed

Putting the right systems in place

The Safe Medication Management Programme is developing systems to help ensure that the right person receives the right medication at the right dose by the right route (for example as an injection or by mouth) at the right time.

The Safe Medication Programme is developing the following initiatives:

E-Prescribing

The SMM Programme is working on systems for e-prescribing so that information about a person’s medications will be passed within and between health providers electronically. The e-prescribing systems to be developed will provide decision support and warning systems, which will help prevent clinicians from prescribing medications that will harm patients/consumers.

Medication Chart

The SMM Programme is working to develop a set of standards for medication charts. Standardising these charts is a key component for the introduction of e-prescribing.

Standardise and Link Systems

The SMM Programme is working to standardise and link all hospital medicine information systems to ensure consistent information is recorded and available about a person’s medications.

Unit Dose/Bedside Verification

The SMM Programme is working to look at possible ways of electronically identifying people in hospitals (such as by bar codes on wrist bands) and their medications. This may include repackaging and bar coding medications as single doses. People in hospital would then be matched electronically to their medications before they are given to them.

Medicine Reconciliation

The SMM Programme is working to develop electronic systems for medicine reconciliation, which will allow clinicians to see an up to date list of a patient's medications, which will assist with the prescribing process. This linked electronic system will list the name, dosage, frequency and route (how given i.e. by mouth or injection etc) of a person’s current medications and compare it to the new prescription and alert the clinician to any discrepancies.