Medication Errors from Injectable Drugs Harm One Million Inpatients
Each Year Adding Billions in Cost, New Study Finds
FRANKLIN LAKES, N.J.,
Dec. 10, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- A
new study, published online today by the peer-reviewed journal
American Health & Drug Benefits, reveals the significant
national burden that harmful medication errors, also called
preventable adverse drug events (ADEs), associated with injectable
medications have on hospitals, patients, and our healthcare system.
Results show that preventable ADEs associated with injectable
medications cost an average of $600,000 per hospital annually and impact more
than 1 million patient hospitalizations each year.
Never before has a study looked specifically at ADEs from
injectable medication errors and analyzed the related economic
impact on patient hospitalization, cost per hospital, and overall
cost to the healthcare industry. Major findings include:
- Preventable ADEs associated with injectable medications impact
more than 1 million hospitalizations each year.
- Preventable ADEs due to injectable medications cause
$2.7 billion to $5.1 billion in
annual costs to U.S. healthcare payers. Those costs average
$600,000 per hospital each year.
- The medical professional liability (MPL) cost for inpatient
ADEs from injectable medication reaches an industry-wide
$300 million to $610 million
annually. The MPL costs an average of $72,000 per hospital each year.
"Our study highlights an unnecessary source of wasted healthcare
resources and poor outcomes — injectable medication errors that
cause harm to patients being treated in a hospital," said study
author Betsy Lahue, MPH, Vice
President, Health Economics and Outcomes Research, BD. "BD has long
been a leader in safe drug delivery practices. New solutions to
improve injectable medication processes are needed to minimize the
burden on payers and reduce the risk for both the patient and the
healthcare setting."
Commissioned by BD (Becton, Dickinson and Company) (NYSE: BDX)
in partnership with Milliman Inc., the study was compiled from
databases that contained information on medication error, inpatient
medication use, and medical costs. The study applied the findings
of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services study on
adverse events, and it used MPL databases and insurance rate
information.
"Our study used actuarial methods and pulled from multiple
sources of data relevant to this critical issue which means that
decision-makers can now see where the problems are and target
prevention efforts," stated author Bruce
Pyenson, principal and consulting actuary at Milliman.
Preventable adverse drug events from injectable drugs have
emerged as prominent cost and quality issues for the healthcare
industry. This study explored the impact that harmful injectable
medication errors in an inpatient setting have on U.S. healthcare
costs. It revealed a high number of hospitalizations potentially
impacted by harmful errors due to injectable medications and a
serious economic burden on payers, hospitals and the healthcare
industry associated with those preventable ADEs.
"In my patient safety work, I know that preventable adverse
medication events are still a significant concern for nurses,
physicians, pharmacists, hospitals as well as patients. Injectable
medications, especially high risk medications, can result in the
most severe harms associated with medication errors. Our study
found an impressive cost burden that injectable medication errors
have on the healthcare system," said Dr. Jeffrey Rothschild, co-author and Associate
Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical
School.
"The good news is this is a problem that can be ameliorated. Now
that we know more about the types of medications and illnesses most
associated with these harmful errors, we can take steps to better
focus our efforts to minimize the risks to patient care."
Authors of the study include Betsy
Lahue, MPH of BD; Bruce
Pyenson, FSA; Kosuke Iwasaki,
FIAJ; Susan Forray, FCAS; Helen
Blumen, MD of Milliman; and Jeffrey
Rothschild, MD, MPH, Associate Professor of Medicine at
Harvard Medical School and Physician at
Brigham & Women's Hospital.
About BD
BD is a leading global medical technology
company that develops, manufactures and sells medical devices,
instrument systems and reagents. The Company is dedicated to
improving people's health throughout the world. BD is focused
on improving drug delivery, enhancing the quality and speed of
diagnosing infectious diseases and cancers, and advancing research,
discovery and production of new drugs and vaccines. BD's
capabilities are instrumental in combating many of the world's most
pressing diseases. Founded in 1897 and headquartered in
Franklin Lakes, New Jersey, BD
employs nearly 30,000 associates in more than 50 countries
throughout the world. The Company serves healthcare institutions,
life science researchers, clinical laboratories, the pharmaceutical
industry and the general public. For more information, please visit
www.bd.com.
About Milliman
Milliman is among the world's largest
providers of actuarial and related products and services. The firm
has consulting practices in healthcare, property & casualty
insurance, life insurance and financial services, and employee
benefits. Founded in 1947, Milliman is an independent firm with
offices in major cities around the globe. For further information,
visit www.milliman.com.
Contact:
Jamie
Yacco
Public Relations
(201) 847-4796
Jamie_Yacco@bd.com
SOURCE BD-Becton Dickinson