Rainu Kaushal, M.D., M.P.H., is Assistant Professor of Public Health at the Weill Medical College of Cornell University, and Instructor in Medicine at Harvard Medical School and Staff Physician at Brigham and Women's Hospital, Children's Hospital, and Massachusetts General Hospital. Her research interest is patient safety. Dr. Kaushal has conducted a study assessing rates of medication errors and adverse drug events in hospitalized children in two academic hospitals. She further analyzed these data to determine prevention strategies for serious medication errors. Dr. Kaushal is also analyzing these data to assess patient specific risk factors for serious medication errors.

Dr. Kaushal directed a study assessing the impact of clinical pharmacists in decreasing serious pediatric medication errors, including a cost-effectiveness analysis. She is also directing a study evaluating the role of electronic prescribing in decreasing serious errors in the neonatal intensive care unit. Dr. Kaushal is principal investigator for three other projects including an evaluation of ambulatory pediatric medication errors and adverse drug events and prevention strategies in this setting, a cost-effectiveness analysis of computerized physician order entry, and an analysis of federal policy options to improve the adoption of computerized physician order entry. She is also excited to be the principal investigator on a study looking at the present costs and structure of a national health information infrastructure.