Although, in Korea, adverse event would be a serious healthcare problem like many western countries, patient safety is not a major concern among medical informaticist, clinicians, and policy makers. We need to understand the utility of the computerized adverse events surveillance system(AESS) which is the most cost-effective method to detect and prevent patient injury.

To review methodologies of detecting adverse events using information technology, adverse drug event surveillance system, critical laboratory alerting system, and adverse medical device event surveillance system.

Recent studies on adverse event surveillance using information technology were reviewed.

For each system, the author reviewed essential concepts, signals and rules, software system architectures, review processes, and effect of system implementations related to AESS.

If the utility of AESS is proved and professional consensus is formulated among medical informaticist, computerized detection of adverse events could be practical on a widespread basis in Korea.