Adverse events


Return to Safety and Quality		Introduction to Safety and Quality Principles > Adverse events

< previous \| next >

What is an adverse event? (click this icon to display the answer)

An incident in which harm resulted to a person receiving health care (ACSQHC)

How often does an adverse event occur?

~5% of hospital admissions have an adverse event

Patients harmed in ~340 000 admissions in Australia in a year (AIHW 2006)

What are some examples of adverse events?

Infections, falls, medication errors, pressure ulcers, wrong side surgery

For further information about the frequency and impact of adverse events click

20.8% of hospital inpatients had a pressure ulcer (VQC Pressure Ulcer Point Prevalence Survey 2004)

150,000 health care associated infections in Australia each year (ACSQHC)

~1400 falls/year in a 500 bed facility

30 – 40% falls cause an injury (VQC Falls Guidelines)

Cost of inappropriate use of medicines is $380million/yr in the public hospital system (AIHW 2002)

In Victoria, on average, patients experiencing an adverse event stay 10 days longer in hospital

Cost of each adverse event in Victoria is $6826 (MJA 5 June 2006)

Consider this list of causes of death:

Breast cancer
Car accidents
Preventable adverse events

Which do you think causes more deaths?

You are correct if you thought preventable adverse events cause more deaths
(US data -To Err is Human)

< previous | next >
Contents | Page 4 of 26

Last updated: 14 August, 2009
This web site is managed and authorised by the Clinical Councils' Unit, Quality & Safety Branch, Rural & Regional Health & Aged Care Services Division Division of the Victorian State Government, Department of Health, Australia

For general enquiries to the Department of Health telephone 61 3 90960000