Hospitals in pursuit of excellence

Improving Medication Safety

The Problem

Adverse drug events occur in as many as 10 percent of hospitalized patients, with thousands of patients dying each year from drug-related injuries, according to the Institute for Healthcare Improvement. A single ADE can cost as much as $7,000. Narcotics, anticoagulants and insulin are among the highest risk medication categories when it comes to ADEs. Missouri Baptist sought to significantly reduce medication mistakes and sustain the results.

The Solution

Missouri Baptist set out to implement known safety practices—including unit dosing, standardization of prescribing and dosing rules, medication reconciliation and other efforts—to reduce ADEs and improve medication safety for patients on a consistent basis.