EHRs Fail to Detect Up to One-third of Medication Errors
Researchers at the University of Utah Health, Harvard University, and Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston found that the most commonly used EHRs in hospitals across the nation fail to detect up to 33% of potentially dangerous drug interactions and other medication errors that could harm or kill patients.
NIOSH Seeks Comment on Updated List of Hazardous Drugs in Healthcare
The proposal includes a name change and reorganization of drug lists so that not all antineoplastic drugs, most often associated with cancer treatments, are grouped together. Formerly the “NIOSH List of Antineoplastic and Other Hazardous Drugs in Healthcare Settings,” the list will be called more simply the “NIOSH List of Hazardous Drugs in Healthcare Settings, 2020.”
Over-the-Top Risky: Overuse of ADC Overrides, Removal of Drugs Without an Order, and Use of Non-Profiled Cabinets
Whether used as a full decentralized drug distribution model or for limited distribution of controlled substances, PRN (as needed) medications, and first doses only, ADCs today are often interfaced with electronic health record systems in both large and small healthcare settings.
Survey Highlights Pervasive Drug Diversion Problem in U.S. Hospitals
The survey found that 86% surveyed have met or know someone who has diverted drugs, with another 43% indicating their facility could be at risk of fines, bad publicity, lawsuits, or overdoses because of past or potential drug diversion cases.
Network Seeks to Reduce Drug Diversion, Increase Reporting Rate
So far, the network has tracked drug diversion at 90 hospitals, 28 nursing homes, and dozens of other types of healthcare facilities, including ambulatory surgical centers, assisted living centers, clinics, compounding pharmacies, medical laboratories, mental health facilities, pain clinics, rehabilitation homes, retail pharmacies, and schools.
A Lot Happens When You Report a Hazard or Error to ISMP—There’s No ‘Black Hole’ Here!
When ISMP receives a hazard or error report, it is entered into one of our databases and initially reviewed by an ISMP nurse or pharmacy technician analyst. Since most reports submitted to ISMP include the reporter’s email address, ISMP sends an email to the reporter to confirm receipt of the report and to thank him or her for reporting.
Full Transparency Is the Key to Stopping Drug Diversion in Healthcare Settings
Drug diversion costs the healthcare industry more than $70 billion per year, according to one estimate, and some researchers say as many as 10% of all medical professionals will divert drugs from their workplace at some point in their career.
Medicaid Expansion Linked to Fewer Opioid Deaths
Researchers NYU Grossman School of Medicine and University of California, Davis, analyzed cause-of-death data from the National Vital Statistics System from 3,109 counties nationwide between 2001 and 2017.
Report: Follow Protocols to Help Fight Opioid Addictions
Healthcare providers in U.S. hospitals bear the brunt of the epidemic as they deal with the medical consequences of opioid addiction. From 1999 to 2017, Coverys says, more than 700,000 people died as a result of the opioid epidemic and the number of opioid-related overdoses grew sixfold.
Published Review of Independent Double Checks Shouldn’t Dissuade Providers From Using Them Judiciously
ISMP respectfully concludes that little evidence was provided that should cause healthcare providers to abandon the use of judicious and well-placed independent double checks for selected high-alert medications. Instead, ISMP continues to believe that the selective and proper use of manual independent double checks plays an important role in medication safety.