Patient satisfaction with a hospital adverse drug reaction reporting system

Aim: To evaluate patients' satisfaction with the adverse drug reactions (ADR) warning card model used within a metropolitan hospital network in Melbourne, Australia.

Methods and Results: A cross-sectional survey, with interviewer-administered questionnaire, of patients who experienced an ADR was conducted. Of the 241 eligible cases reviewed by the adverse drug reaction committee between January 2013 and April 2016, 45% (108) consented to a phone interview with 82% (89) recalling the ADR event. Of these, 55% (49) recalled receiving a temporary ADR warning card and 73% (65) remembered receiving a permanent ADR warning card post-discharge. The ADR warning card was carried by 75% (67) of participants. It was found that 85% (76) had informed their doctor of the ADR while 40% (36) had informed their regular community pharmacist. Overall satisfaction was high with 89% (79) agreeing that this ADR service was valuable to them.

Conclusion: Overall, there was a high level of satisfaction, which supports the ADR warning card model as a model of care for patients who experience ADRs. In addition to informing the patient and their general practitioner about ADRs, consideration should be given to routinely informing their community pharmacists.