Strategies for detecting adverse drug events among older persons in the ambulatory setting.

Objective: To examine various strategies for the identification of adverse drug events (ADEs) among older persons in the ambulatory clinical setting.

Design: A cohort study of Medicare enrollees (n = 31,757 per month) receiving medical care from a large multispecialty group practice during a 12-month observation period (July 1, 1999 through June 30, 2000).

Measurements: Possible drug-related incidents occurring in the ambulatory clinical setting were detected using signals from multiple sources.

Risk factors for adverse drug events among older adults in the ambulatory setting.

Objectives: To gather information on patient-level factors associated with risk of adverse drug events (ADEs) that may allow focus of prevention efforts on patients at high risk.

Design: Nested case-control study.

Setting: Large multispecialty group practice in New England.

Incidence and preventability of adverse drug events among older persons in the ambulatory setting.

Context: Adverse drug events, especially those that may be preventable, are among the most serious concerns about medication use in older persons cared for in the ambulatory clinical setting.

Objective: To assess the incidence and preventability of adverse drug events among older persons in the ambulatory clinical setting.

Design, Setting, And Patients: Cohort study of all Medicare enrollees (30 397 person-years of observation) cared for by a multispecialty group practice during a 12-month study period (July 1, 1999, through June 30, 2000), in which possible drug-related incidents occurring in the ambulatory clinical setting were detected using multiple methods, including reports from health care providers; review of hospital discharge summaries; review of emergency department notes; computer-generated signals; automated free-text review of electronic clinic notes; and review of administrative incident reports concerning medication errors.