A new milestone in patient safety: science and technology at the service of medical prescription
The publication of the REDETS report on automated systems for detecting adverse drug reactions (ADRs) marks a before and after in the search for safer and more efficient healthcare. The study highlights the importance of technology in preventing medication errors, which are one of the leading causes of adverse events in hospitalized patients as they not only pose a risk to their safety but also have a high economic cost for health systems.
ADRs can occur due to errors in prescribing medication, overdose, or use of the medication for an indication for which it is not intended, but they can also appear when a medication is taken appropriately and at the correct dose. ADRs are a common cause of illness, disability, hospitalization, and even death worldwide. Factors that increase the risk of ADRs include polypharmacy, patient age, and pre-existing conditions such as liver and/or kidney failure, which are the main routes of metabolism and elimination, and genetic factors.
The publication of the report coincides with the launch of OntoClinic, which offers a solution to reduce this problem and improve the quality of healthcare. It is an initiative led by the Pharmacy Service and the Medical Informatics Unit of Hospital Clínic de Barcelona, and Costaisa is its technological and commercial partner, to guarantee the product's arrival on the market.
It is a clinical decision support system (CDSS) based on ontologies that is capable of analyzing a large amount of patient clinical data in real time to offer personalized recommendations on drug prescription. This tool, which is being implemented at Hospital Clínic, represents a step forward in patient safety by significantly reducing the risk of medication errors and potentially improving the effectiveness of treatments.
The publication of the REDETS report and the launch of this new clinical decision support system are two important milestones in the search for safer and more efficient healthcare.