What is an adverse drug event?
An adverse drug event or ADE is any injury resulting from medical intervention related to use of a medication or drug.
How does this happen?
An ADE may occur when medication is being ordered, prepared, or administered.
How do we prevent ADEs?
ADEs are prevented at Children’s Hospital in the following ways:
Ordering and preparation of medications
- Medications are compared to central formulary with specified, age-appropriate dosages.
- Medications in the formulary trigger safety alerts for review if out of range.
- The Pharmacy Department reviews orders for accuracy and appropriateness.
Administration of medications
- The patient’s electronic record is visible by the bedside computer.
- Medication orders are visible at the time of administration.
- The patient’s identification band with barcode is scanned with our Positive Patient Identification Device in conjunction with the medication. This ensures that we are giving the right medication, dose, concentration, and form to the right patient at the right time.
How often have ADEs been reported at Children’s Hospital?
Our mission at UPMC Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh is to prevent medication errors from occurring. Although we have experienced minor medication events upon occasion, we have reported no serious ADEs resulting in considerable harm or death.
