What proportion of patients experience an adverse event during transitions from hospital to home?

• A. One in five
• B. One in ten
• C. One in twenty
• D. One in two

Answer: (A)

Transitions from hospital to home are high-risk times for patient safety because vital information about medications, follow-up plans, and warning signs can get lost or misunderstood. The best-supported estimate is that about one in five patients experiences at least one adverse event related to this transition. This roughly 20% rate reflects how common issues like medication errors, unclear discharge instructions, or delays in arranging follow-up care are after discharge.

If you see numbers like one in ten or one in twenty, they underestimate the risk compared to the typical data on post-discharge safety. A figure as high as one in two would overstate the risk relative to established findings.