Abstract
OBJECTIVE: The study aims to identify the rate of inappropriate prescribing per the Key Potentially Inappropriate Drugs in Pediatrics (KIDs) List versus total prescribing in patients at University of Missouri Health Care hospitals. METHODS: This retrospective study evaluated orders for patients treated at University of Missouri Health Care inpatient units or emergency departments with a KIDs List medication between September 1, 2019, and September 1, 2020, or a reported adverse event to one of these medications between September 1, 2015, and September 1, 2020. Patients were excluded if the patient safety report was related to a medication error rather than an adverse event. Safety measures assessed included age and weight filtering, dose-range checking, clinical decision support, and override availability. RESULTS: There were 39 inappropriate orders and 4 possible adverse events identified. A total of 8 of 33 medications (24%) had age and weight filtering in place for at least 1 order sentence, 1 of 38 (2.6%) had dose-range checking, no medications had an active clinical decision support alert, and 33 of 38 (87%) had availability on automated dispensing cabinet override. CONCLUSIONS: Use of KIDs List medications is appropriately low, but low levels of safety measure implementation leave pediatric patients vulnerable.