In a previous article, I covered 5 key things that hospital pharmacy leaders need to know about medication safety [SEE: '5 Things You Need to Know NOW About Medication Safety']. Now, we need to put this into action. In this article, I’ll touch on 4 things to jump start medication safety at your organization!

1. Review and share reported medication errors. I have a colleague whose career in medication safety started when she was asked to categorize medication errors as part of a modified work assignment (she was a hospital pharmacist back then) while she was transitioning back from maternity leave. She was only asked to categorize the errors but as she read through them, she started asking the question, ‘What are we doing about these errors?’ That was the impetus for the creation of a dedicated medication safety role at her organization. I cannot emphasize enough the power of these reported errors when they are reviewed AND SHARED! Bring awareness to what is happening to both those on the front line as well as leaders above you who can influence and prioritize resources to projects that will reduce the risk of medication errors.
2. Utilize the Institute for Safety Medication Practices (ISMP) Newsletters. As a hospital pharmacist many moons ago, I was fortunate enough to be part of an organization that shared the ISMP newsletters with staff. It was eye-opening (and scary!) to read about medication errors that occurred at other organizations. It can also be overwhelming to realize how much risk exists! That said, don’t try to boil the ocean. Instead, identify one or two items each quarter (or even each year) that you want to address for your pharmacy or hospital and just focus on that. While some recommendations may require a heavy lift (e.g., a system enhancement to the organization’s electronic health record), others could be easier to implement and lead to small but quick wins.
3. Assign small medication safety related projects to interested staff. As a pharmacy leader, remember that you do not have to do everything. Instead, as medication safety related projects arrise, leverage the talent, expertise, and interest from your staff. This is a win-win-win all the way around. The hospital or pharmacy benefits from the project, the employee is engaged and feels valued for being able to contribute in a unique way, and the manager gets something they has been meaning to address off their plate.  Standardizing a process (example: a process for unit dosing medications), creating a quick reference card/table (example: creating a laminated table of where certain medications can be infused based on unit), or redesigning an automated dispensing cabinet matrix drawer or tower to optimize efficiency of refills AND minimize look alike errors, are all very ‘doable’ by staff, with guidance.
4. Hire a dedicated medication safety officer!  I strongly believe that every medical center needs a dedicated medication safety officer to set the medication safety vision, identify opportunities to improve the medication-use process, and lead efforts and initiatives to prevent medication errors. This simply cannot be another hat that a manager or director wears in addition to a multitude of other responsibilities on their plate. In a later article, I’ll provide insight into what to look for in a medication safety officer.