Researchers at Yale University, Medical Department target adverse drug reactions.

According to a study from the United States, "We implemented a comprehensive strategy to track and reduce adverse events. We incrementally introduced multiple patient safety interventions from September 2004 through November 2006 at a university-based obstetrics service."

"This initiative included outside expert review, protocol standardization, the creation of a patient safety nurse position and patient safety committee, and training in team skills and fetal heart monitoring interpretation. We prospectively tracked 10 obstetrics-specific outcome. The Adverse Outcome Index, an expression of the number of deliveries with at least 1 of the 10 adverse outcomes per total deliveries, was analyzed for trend. Our interventions significantly reduced the Adverse Outcome Index (linear regression, r(2) = 0.50; P = .01) (overall mean, 2.50%). Concurrent with these improvements, we saw clinically significant improvements in safety climate as measured by validated safety attitude surveys," wrote C.M. Pettker and colleagues, Yale University, Medical Department (see also Adverse Drug Reactions).

The researchers concluded: "A systematic ...