The use of an electronic medical record system for mandatory reporting of drug hypersensitivity reactions has been shown to improve the management of patients in the university hospital in Korea

Abstract

Purpose: This study was conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of a computerized surveillance system for adverse drug events (ADEs) reinforced with mandatory reporting of all past drug hypersensitivity reactions (DHSRs) and supervision of the processes by allergy specialists in a university hospital.

Methods: All information on both prior and newly developed DHSRs was collected via the surveillance system described above and compared with the data from previous system based on voluntary reporting of DHSRs by attending physicians.

Results: The report rate of past DHSRs was greatly increased and the estimated incidence of new events decreased under the new system. The occurrence rate of new DHSRs during hospitalization, which were caused by the repeated administration of the agents previously suspected as culprit drugs enormously, decreased from 15% of previous system to 1% of new system.

Conclusion: The mandatory reporting system for past DHSRs and the supervision by allergy specialists appear to be important in improving the management of patients with drug hypersensitivity and in preventing the occurrence of DHSRs in a general hospital.