Adverse drug reaction management in hospital settings: review on practice variations, quality indicators and education focus.

PURPOSE: Adverse drug reactions (ADRs) contribute significantly to healthcare burden. However, they are largely preventable through appropriate management processes. This narrative review aims to identify the quality indicators that should be considered for routine monitoring of processes within hospital ADR management systems. It also examines the potential reasons behind variation in ADR management practices amongst HCPs, and explores possible solutions, focusing on targeted education programmes, to improve both the quality and quantity indicators of ADR management processes. METHODS: A comprehensive literature review was conducted to explore relevant themes and topics concerning ADR management, quality indicators and educational interventions. RESULTS: Substantial variability exists in ADR management amongst healthcare professionals (HCPs) with regard to reporting rates, characteristics of ADRs reported, quality of assessment, completeness of reports and, most importantly, risk communication practices. These variable practices not only threaten patient safety but also undermine pharmacovigilance processes. To date, quality indicators to monitor ADR management practices within hospital settings remain ill-defined. Furthermore, evidence behind effective interventions, especially in the form of targeted education strategies, to improve the quality of ADR management remains limited. CONCLUSIONS: The focus of ADR management in hospitals should be to promote patient safety through comprehensive assessment, risk communication and safe prescribing. There is a need to develop a system to define, measure and monitor the quality of ADR management. Educational strategies may help improve the quality of ADR management processes.

Cost-analysis of opportunistic influenza vaccination in general medical inpatients.

Influenza vaccination is an important preventative health measure in the elderly and those with medical comorbidities. It has been shown to reduce hospitalisations, cardiovascular and respiratory complications. A significant proportion of patients admitted to general medicine are eligible for opportunistic inpatient influenza vaccination. This study explores the cost-effectiveness of such a strategy in reducing subsequent healthcare utilisation costs.

Aetiologies and factors associated with poor clinical outcomes in rhabdomyolysis: a retrospective cohort study in an Australian trauma centre.

Rhabdomyolysis is a clinical syndrome with significant morbidity and mortality that occurs as a result of traumatic and non-traumatic aetiologies. Acute kidney injury, the need for dialysis, and death, can occur due to rhabdomyolysis. This study explores the aetiologies, clinical outcomes and associated factors for poor outcomes in a cohort of patients with rhabdomyolysis in a tertiary trauma centre in Australia.

Opportunities to improve influenza vaccination rates in general medical inpatients.

Influenza vaccination is an important preventative health measure. A significant proportion of general medical inpatients meets indications for annual inactivated influenza vaccination (IIV), as recommended by the Australian National Immunisation Programme. This study explores opportunities to provide IIV to eligible general medical inpatients and associated barriers.