National estimates suggest that Adverse Drug Events (ADEs) contribute an additional $3.5 billion to United States healthcare costs. Given the United States population’s large and ever-increasing magnitude of medication exposure, the potential for harm from ADEs is a critical patient safety and public health challenge. ADEs can include, but are not limited to, medication errors, adverse drug reactions, allergic reactions and overdoses.
Great Plains Quality Innovation Network is partnering with healthcare providers in our region to identify ways to avoid medication safety issues. We are offering education and tools to help individuals better manage and communicate medications prescribed as well as share updates on new guidelines and resources available.
For example, the recently published CDC Guideline for Prescribing Opioids for Chronic Pain has recommendations to reduce the chronic use of opioid medications. In addition to the CDC Guidelines, we also recently added a few related documents to our Web site, including Guidelines for Prescribing Opioids for Pain and an Opioid Prescribing Checklist. We have information for both healthcare providers and consumers/family members. We hope, through these efforts and information sharing, individuals will have better health outcomes and avoid unnecessary medical care. Learn more by visiting:
Initiatives – Medication Safety (information for healthcare providers)
Drug Safety (information for consumers and family members)