Adopt the 2014–2015 Targeted Best Practices for Medication Safety

Abstract

Despite the great strides that have been made across the United States to implement new technologies to improve the safety of medication use (eg, computerized prescriber order entry [also known as CPOE], robotics, and bar code point-of-care systems), 1 Pharmacy Purchasing & Products. The 8th annual state of pharmacy automation: results from P&Ps 2013 National Survey. Pharm Purchasing Prod. 2013;10(8):20, 32–35, 56–65. Google Scholar thousands of medication errors are still occurring each year. 2 Pennsylvania Patient Safety Authority2012 Annual Report: reports by event type and submission type for 2012. http://patientsafetyauthority.org/PatientSafetyAuthority/Documents/Annual%20Report%202012%20.pdf Google Scholar Particularly discouraging is the fact that a portion of these harmful events that affect the patients entrusted to our care are actually preventable. 2 Pennsylvania Patient Safety Authority2012 Annual Report: reports by event type and submission type for 2012. http://patientsafetyauthority.org/PatientSafetyAuthority/Documents/Annual%20Report%202012%20.pdf Google Scholar These errors are not occurring because of the lack of effort on the part of practitioners, who during recent years have dedicated significant time to implementing medication safety teams, hiring medication safety officers, 3 Larson CM Saine D Creating an influential MSO position. Pharm Purchasing Prod. 2013; 10: 14-15 Google Scholar using new technologies, 1 Pharmacy Purchasing & Products. The 8th annual state of pharmacy automation: results from P&Ps 2013 National Survey. Pharm Purchasing Prod. 2013;10(8):20, 32–35, 56–65. Google Scholar and/or proactively implementing strategic plans for medication safety. 4 Besco K MacLaughlin N The role of the medication safety officer. in: Presentation at: Institute for Safe Medication Practices Medication Safety IntensiveDecember 6, 2012 Google Scholar Although national reporting of medication-related events to federally recognized patient safety organizations such as the Institute for Safe Medication Practices (ISMP) has resulted in numerous documented changes to patient safety, 5 Institute for Safe Medication PracticesHistorical timeline. http://www.ismp.org/about/timeline.asp Google Scholar some specific preventable medication-related events resurface time and again and continue to result in serious outcomes and even patient deaths. It is with these patients and better outcomes in mind that ISMP has released its 2014–2015 Targeted Medication Safety Best Practices for Hospitals (Table). The purpose of these targeted best practices is to “…identify, inspire, and mobilize widespread, national adoption of consensus-based best practices on specific medication safety issues that continue to cause fatal and harmful errors in patients, despite repeated warnings. These best practices are realistic practices, already adopted by many organizations, upon which hospitals can focus their medication safety efforts over the next 2 years.” 6 Institute for Safe Medication Practices 2014–15 Targeted medication safety best practices for hospitals. www.ismp.org/Tools/BestPractices/default.asp Google Scholar The entire document is available from ISMP at www.ismp.org/Tools/BestPractices/default.asp. Reprinted with permission from: Institute for Safe Medication Practices. 6 Institute for Safe Medication Practices 2014–15 Targeted medication safety best practices for hospitals. www.ismp.org/Tools/BestPractices/default.asp Google Scholar Susan F. Paparella, Member, Bux-Mont Chapter, is Vice President at the Institute for Safe Medication Practices (ISMP ⁎ISMP is a nonprofit organization that works closely with health care practitioners, consumers, hospitals, regulatory agencies, and professional organizations to educate caregivers about preventing medication errors. ISMP is the premier international resource on safe medication practices in health care institutions. If you would like to report medication errors to help others, E-mail us at: [email protected] or call (800)FAIL-SAF(e). This Medication Error Reporting Program keeps information confidential and secure. We will include only the level of detail that the reporter wishes in our publications.), Horsham, PA, and a member of the Advisory Committee for the Institute for Quality, Safety, and Injury Prevention.