Chemotherapy safety initiative.

Abstract

226 Background: The 2006 Institute of Medicine report "Preventing Medication Errors," stated that “medication errors harm at least 1.5 million patients every year…” Chemotherapy (CT) has a narrow therapeutic index and safety margin which can and does lead to fatal errors. University Hospitals Seidman Cancer Center (UHSCC), an National Cancer Institute (NCI) designated Comprehensive Cancer Center, dispensed 10,500 CT doses in 2012 and has taken an active approach to enhance CT safety. Methods: In the last quarter of 2012, a nurse coordinator (NC) for chemotherapy orders and a Chemotherapy Safety Governance Committee (CSGC) was conceptualized. The NC’s role would be to incorporate CT safety best practices into order set development. The charter for the CSGC includes 1) to establish cancer CT standards and operating procedures across the adult and pediatric oncology population; 2) to develop and oversee cancer CT order set infrastructure applicable to our hybrid electronic/paper current state; and 3) to lead performance improvement initiatives related to CT safety. Leading organizations involved in oncology practice and medication safety standard-setting (ASCO, Oncology Nursing Society, Institute For Safe Medication Practices, National Comprehensive Cancer Network, Journal of Cancer Research) were reviewed for recommendations for standards for CT order sets. Results: Thirty standards for a CT order template were identified by the NC. A comprehensive gap analysis was completed to compare the current inpatient and ambulatory CT order sets to these standards. Results of the gap analysis were brought to the CSGC, a multi-disciplinary group of cancer and quality clinicians and leaders over 6 meetings. Consensus was achieved on the application of these standards to CT order sets. Our new orders will adopt 100% of all identified standards for CT orders. Conclusions: The gap analysis led to the development of a CT order set template that maximizes safety by applying best-practice standards. This template is designed to be applicable to electronic and paper-based order sets and with minor variation, appropriate to all disease-based order sets. This template is currently being utilized to revise 330 electronic and 398 paper CT order sets at UHSCC. [Table: see text]