High-Alert Medication Safety Self-Assessment Launched

A new online patient safety tool is available to help hospitals, long-term care facilities and outpatient facilities evaluate their best practices related to high-alert medications, identify opportunities for improvement and track their experiences over time. Developed by the Institute for Safe Medication Practices (ISMP), the ISMP Medication Safety Self Assessment® for High-Alert Medications focuses on general high-alert medications and 11 specific medication categories including opioids, insulin, neuromuscular blocking agents, chemotherapy and moderate and minimal sedation. Participants who submit assessment findings to ISMP anonymously via a secure Internet portal can obtain weighted scores to compare withdemographically similar organizations. Participation also can help organizations meet requirements for managing high-alert medications from regulatory and accrediting agencies, such as the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services and The Joint Commission. Access more information.