First High-Alert Medication Safety Self Assessment Launched

www.ismp.org/selfassessments/SAHAM/



First High-Alert Medication Safety Self Assessment Launched

A new tool is now available to help hospitals, long-term care facilities, and certain 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 will be able to obtain their weighted scores so they can compare themselves to demographically 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 at: http://www.ismp.org/selfassessments/SAHAM.

Welcome to the ISMP Medication Safety Self Assessment® for High-Alert Medications. This tool offers hospitals, long-term care facilities, and outpatient facilities a unique opportunity to assess the safety of systems and practices associated with up to 11 categories of high-alert medications. ISMP defines high-alert medications as those drugs that bear a heightened risk of causing significant patient harm when used in error. 

Not all the targeted high-alert medications may be used in every inpatient or outpatient facility; thus, each facility can choose one or more of these high-alert medications upon which to focus its assessment. However, we strongly encourage all facilities to complete the assessment for every high-alert medication category used in their facility, including the General High-Alert Medications section. ISMP also encourages facilities to anonymously submit their findings to ISMP online.