Increased risk for patient safety incidents in hospitalized older adults.

2004 HCUPnet data indicated that hospitalized patients age 65 and older experience higher rates of patient safety incidents than younger adults for 11 of 13 indicators analyzed; patients over age 85 in particular were susceptible to certain adverse events. In this article, rates of patient safety incidents for hospitalized older adults are described and adverse events for which older adults might be at particular risk are identified.