The nature and extent of drug‐related hospitalisations in Australia

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Abstract
In order to determine the nature and extent of drug‐related hospitalisation in Australia, the Australian National Hospital Morbidity Collection, the Quality in Australian Health Care Study and Australian studies assessing drug‐related hospital admissions were reviewed. The incidence figures, drugs and conditions most commonly implicated, and estimates of avoidability of medication‐related problems were compared. The three data sources were found to provide consistent results, with all sources implicating cytotoxics, antirheumatics, anticoagulants, corticosteroids, antihypertensives and cardiovascular agents in medication‐related hospitalisations. Estimates of the extent of the problem were also consistent, suggesting that at least 80 000 medication‐related hospitalisations occur in Australia each year; between 32% and 69% of these hospitalisations were considered avoidable. It was concluded that medication‐related hospitalisations are a major public health problem in Australia. The avoidability estimates suggest that much can and should be done to reduce this problem.

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