MEDMARX
an Internet-based program of the USP for use by hospitals and healthcare systems for documenting, tracking, and identifying trends for adverse events and medication errors
Pharmacist Recovery Network(PRN)
an organization to provide assistance and treatment for impaired colleagues who seek help without the risk of losing their license or registration
REMS (risk evaluation and mitigation strategy)
a program designed by the FDA for prescribers, pharmacies, and patients to more closely monitor selected high-risk drugs
Tall man lettering
enhanced lettering on the stock labels of similar-sounding high-risk medications, or other labeling changes to help better differentiate products and dosages and reduce medication errors
MEdWatch
a voluntary program by the FDA that allows any healthcare professional or consumer to report a serious adverse event associated with the use of any drug, biological device, or dietary supplement
Physical dependence
taking a drug continuously so that when the medication is stopped, physical withdrawal symptoms Occur
Root-cause analysis
a logical and systematic process used to help identify what, how, and why something happened to prevent recurrence
Technical failure
an error generated by failure of equipment
Mislabeling error
when a medication has incorrect information on it leading to the wrong use of it, or the wrong patient receiving it
Psychological dependence
when the patient cakes a drug on a regular basis because it produces a sense of well-being that the patient does not want to consider living or being without
Rushed error
occurs because of the pressure of meeting corporate or self-imposed time constraints and thus not fully checking and double-checking information by the technician and pharmacist
Wrong amount error
occurs when a dose is either above or below the correct amount by more than 5%
Omission error
an administration error in which a prescribed dose is not given
REACT
an acronym for what to do in the case of a robbery
Selection error
an error that occurs when two or more options exist, and the incorrect option is chosen
VAERS (vaccine adverse event reporting system)
a postmarketing surveillance system operated by the FDA and CDC that collects information on adverse events that occur after immunization
Patient Safety Organization
groups designed to collect and analyze error data from more than one health provider and offer quality improvement counsel
Right of refusal
the ability of a pharmacist to decline with cause to fill any prescription, especially chose for controlled substances
SPEAK UP
an acronym for advice for hospital patients to get the safest, best health-care, promoted by the Joint Commission and Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
VERP (vaccine error reporting program)
a program designed to allow healthcare professionals to report vaccine errors directly to the Institute for Safe Medication Practices (ISMP)