Monitoring adverse drug reactions across a nationwide health care system using information technology

Purpose. The improvement and linkage of two Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) databases for monitoring adverse drug reactions (ADRs) are described, with a discussion of the potential implications for improved medication safety within the VA health care system. Summary. Before 2007, VA had limited capability to track and evaluate ADRs across its nationwide network of health care facilities. Since then, VA has established a standardized monitoring system that has improved the reporting, analysis, and trending of ADRs reported by providers and pharmacists at individual VA facilities. The enhanced system has two components with distinct but complementary functions: the Adverse Reaction Tracking database, which is derived by extracting text-based, patient-specific information entered into the VA electronic medical record system by clinicians at the point of care; and the VA Adverse Drug Event Reporting System (VA ADERS), an external web-based portal that contains aggregated data from 146 VA facilities, with standardized coding of reported events. Both databases allow for ADR reporting at the local, regional, and national levels. The VA ADERS database permits rapid electronic reporting of certain ADRs to the federal MedWatch program. The two databases can be used in tandem for more comprehensive assessments of ADR patterns and reporting rates and to generate a wide range of benchmarking data. Conclusion. In recent years, the refinement of two databases for ADR reporting has increased VA's capability to systematically monitor, track, and report ADRs across its national network of health care facilities. Linking the two databases has further strengthened those capabilities, enhancing medication safety practices and aiding in pharmacovigilance.