New Orleans, La. Dec. 8, 2003--Data from the most recent report on medication errors compiled by the United States Pharmacopeia (USP) supports several key patient safety goals outlined by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO) in the areas of patient identification, communication, high-alert medications, and use of infusion pumps.

JCAHO provides accreditation to U.S. hospitals and health care facilities and is working to achieve high patient safety standards in the U.S. health care system--a goal that USP is also committed to reaching in the area of medication errors.

All JCAHO-accredited hospitals and healthcare facilities are required to implement JCAHO's 2004 National Patient Safety Goals by Jan.1, 2004. The first National Patient Safety Goals were announced by JCAHO in July 2002. Each goal includes no more than two succinct, evidence-or expert-based requirements. National Patient Safety Goals and requirements are announced annually in July and take effect January 1 of the following year.

JCAHO's 2004 National Patient Safety Goals focus caregivers on a variety of patient safety issues, specifically:

1. Improve the accuracy of patient identification;
2. Improve the effectiveness of communication among caregivers;
3. Improve the safety of using high-alert medications;
4. Eliminate wrong-site, wrong-patient and wrong-procedure surgery;
5. Improve the safety of using infusion pumps;
6. Improve the effectiveness of clinical alarm systems; and
7. Reduce the risk of health care acquired infections.

"This year, USP's annual MEDMARX report on U.S. hospital medication errors released data that focus attention on four of the six key JCAHO 2003 National Patient Safety Goal requirements," said Diane Cousins, R.Ph., vice president of USP's Center for the Advancement of Patient Safety (CAPS). "USP is working toward a goal we hold in common with JCAHO: ensuring that p
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Contact: Sherrie Borden
slb@usp.org
301-816-8268
US Pharmacopeia
8-Dec-2003

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