The incidence of adverse drug events in two large academic long-term care facilities.

While medication errors have gained tremendous attention in the acute care setting, the incidence and risk factors of similar events in long-term care settings remain less studied. Investigators determined the rate of adverse drug events (ADEs) in two academic long-term facilities, including description of the risk factors associated with each event. More than 800 ADEs occurred during the 9-month study period, with nearly 42% deemed preventable. Medications posing the greatest risk were antipsychotics, anticoagulants, antiepileptics, and diuretics. The authors advocate for safer prescribing habits in long-term care settings through a number of preventive strategies, such as improved ADE reporting systems and computerized provider order entry (CPOE).