ISMP: Hospitals Are Improving Medication Safety

The Institute of Safe Medication Practices has released a report on U.S. medication safety practice that says the country's protocols and track-record are continuing to improve.

The report is based on an analysis of data from more than 1,300 hospitals that participated in the ISMP's 2011 Medication Safety Self-Assessment for Hospitals, conducted with assistance from the American Hospital Association, according to a news release.

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Improvements were mostly related to communication of drug orders, patient education, quality processes and risk management. Other improvements included:

  • Maintaining a list of prohibited error-prone abbreviations (18 to 91 percent)
  • Using and monitoring safe methods of medication order communication (18 to 68 percent)
  • Requiring a complete new set of orders upon admission or transfer (27 to 82 percent)
  • Providing customized drug administration schedules upon discharge to patients at high-risk for nonadherence (31 to 73 percent).

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