US Emergency Department Visits for Outpatient Adverse Drug Events, 2013-2014

The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010 brought attention to adverse drug events in national patient safety efforts. Updated, detailed, nationally representative data describing adverse drug events can help focus these efforts.

To describe the characteristics of emergency department (ED) visits for adverse drug events in the United States in 2013-2014 and describe changes in ED visits for adverse drug events since 2005-2006. Design, Setting, and Participants: Active, nationally representative, public health surveillance in 58 EDs located in the United States and participating in the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System-Cooperative Adverse Drug Event Surveillance project. Exposures: Drugs implicated in ED visits. Main Outcomes and Measures: National weighted estimates of ED visits and subsequent hospitalizations for adverse drug events.