A multicenter record review of in-hospital adverse drug events requiring a higher level of care.

Objective: Adverse drug events (ADEs) are a worldwide concern, particularly when leading to a higher level of care. This study defines a higher level of care as an unplanned (re)admission to an intensive care unit or an intervention by a Medical Emergency Team. The objectives are to describe the incidence and preventability of ADEs leading to a higher level of care, to assess the types of drug involved, and to identify the risk factors.

One fourth of unplanned transfers to a higher level of care are associated with a highly preventable adverse event: a patient record review in six Belgian hospitals.

Objective: The objectives of this study are to determine the prevalence and preventability of adverse events requiring an unplanned higher level of care, defined as an unplanned transfer to the ICU or an in-hospital medical emergency team intervention, and to assess the type and the level of harm of each adverse event.

Design: A three-stage retrospective review process of screening, record review, and consensus judgment was performed.

Setting: Six Belgian acute hospitals.