Adverse Drug Reaction Monitoring in Mississippi Home Mealth Care Agencies

Abstract

A statewide survey of home health care agency directors in Mississippi was conducted to determine the extent of Adverse Drug Reaction (ADR) monitoring and reporting by health care professionals. A 24-item questionnaire was sent to agency directors eliciting responses on agency characteristics, rate of occurrence of ADRs, and attitudes toward responsibility for monitoring ADRs. A total of 77 questionnaires were returned yielding a response rate of 48%. The average program enrolled 104 patients with 3.5 ADRs reported by health care professionals per year (range 0-65). Agency directors reported that physicians, nurses, pharmacists, and members of the pharmacy and therapeutics committee should monitor ADRs. Results indicated a need for all health-care professional involved in home health care to increase their ADR monitoring and reporting activities.