New and noteworthy! ISMP has issued its revised and expanded Guidelines for Optimizing Safe Implementation and Use of Smart Infusion Pumps. For recommendations on reducing risks involving infrastructure, drug libraries, CQI data, and clinical workflow with smart pumps as well as maximizing interoperability with the electronic health record, visit: https://www.ismp.org/node/972

ISMP fellowships can help you grow in your career and make major contributions to medication safety worldwide. ISMP is now accepting applications for three unique programs that begin this summer/fall – the ISMP Safe Medication Management Fellowship, the ISMP International Medication Safety Management Fellowship, and the FDA/ISMP Safe Medication Management Fellowship. The deadline for applications is March 31, 2020. For more information, including program descriptions and the application, visit: www.ismp.org/node/871

ISMP has published a list of the top 10 medication hazards and errors covered in the acute care newsletter in 2019. These safety issues have caused ongoing, persistent problems, but all can be avoided or minimized with system and practice changes that are attainable for all healthcare providers. We hope that you incorporate recommendations to prevent the top 10 into your organization-wide, strategic medication safety improvement plan for 2020! To view the list and learn about how to manage these risks safely and effectively, visit: https://www.ismp.org/resources/start-new-year-right-preventing-these-top...

ISMP will offer two symposia on justifying investment in medication use technology and new guidelines for smart infusion pump safety at the ASHP Midyear Clinical Meeting in December. Don’t miss these valuable opportunities to learn from national experts! Space is limited and pre-registration is encouraged. For more details or to register, visit: https://www.ismp.org/events-webinars-and-workshops

Sign up now for the next MSOS Member Briefing webinar scheduled to be held on Thursday, November 21, 2019 from 1:00-2:00 PM EST.
Register Now: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/3361605469699521037

Short medication safety-related presentations for this webinar will include:

• Medication Safety Walkaround Tool
L. Hayley Burgess, PharmD, BCPP, CPPS
AVP, Clinical Pharmacy and Medication Safety
Clinical Services Group, HCA

• Identifying Patients at Highest Risk for Opioid Induced Respiratory Depression
Paul E Milligan, PharmD
BJC System Medication Safety Pharmacist
Center for CLinical Excellence
BJC Healthcare

• Improving Medication Safety from the Source: Leveraging Vendor Partnerships to Improve Patient Care
Jessalynn Henney, PharmD
Network Medication Safety Director
Community Health Network

We are excited to announce an important new chapter for ISMP. To strengthen our impact as a leader in patient safety, we have entered into an affiliation agreement with ECRI Institute. ISMP and ECRI Institute’s missions are similar, and together we will be able to offer comprehensive patient safety solutions in all care settings and create one of the largest patient safety institutions in the world. For more information, see our joint news release: https://www.ismp.org/node/13291

Join us on Tuesday evening, December 10, 2019, for the 22nd Annual Cheers Awards at Stoney’s Rockin’ Country in Las Vegas. The awards recognize a group of healthcare leaders who have gone “all in” to develop best practices and programs that prevent medication errors and protect patients. We also will be celebrating ISMP’s 25th anniversary as a nonprofit organization! To make a donation to support ISMP’s work and/or register for the dinner, please visit: www.ismp.org/node/938.

Don’t miss ISMP's last Medication Safety Intensive (MSI) workshop for the year, being held in Las Vegas, NV, on December 6-7! This is a unique opportunity to maximize your error prevention efforts and learn to look at your organization through the eyes of leading safety experts. Participants engage in group discussions, get hands-on practice in error analysis, evaluate latent and active failures, learn how to select high-leverage strategies, and use data to sustain safety efforts. For information and to register, visit: www.ismp.org/node/127.

Sign up now for the next MSOS Member Briefing webinar scheduled to be held on Thursday, September 26, 2019 from 1:00-2:00 PM EST.
Register Now: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/792096273610244877

Short medication safety-related presentations for this webinar will include:

Failure modes in electronic health records that may lead to medication errors
Andrew Stivers, PharmD
Manager, Medication Use and Safety
Emory University Hospital Midtown

Medication Error Reduction Program: A framework for your medication safety plan
Kathy Ghomeshi, PharmD, MBA, BCPS, CPPS
Medication Safety Specialist, UCSF Medical Center
Assistant Clinical Professor, UCSF School of Pharmacy

ISMP Update
Michael R. Cohen, RPh, MS, ScD (hon), DPS (hon), FASHP
President, Institute for Safe Medication Practices

Health IT Safe Practices for Drug Allergies: Using Clinical Decision Support and Health IT

Tuesday, September 24, 2019
12:30 pm -1:30 pm (Eastern Time)

REGISTER HERE: https://ecri.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_cOa5m223Sx-vTElhiVk-Yg

We invite you to learn about the newly released safe practice recommendations for drug allergies using clinical decision support (CDS) and health IT. The safe practices, developed by the Partnership for Health IT Patient Safety, will assist all stakeholders in optimizing the benefits of documentation and CDS for drug allergy interactions.

Access to accurate and up-to-date drug allergy information is a vital component to effective, safe, and timely patient care. This information comes from patients directly and from information captured in the electronic health record (EHR).