THE Global Patient Safety Action Plan 2021-2030 was launched by the WHO (World Health Organisation) at the Fourth Global Health Ministerial Summit, with lead support from FIP (International Pharmaceutical Federation) on policy, practice and compliance. This evolution started in 2017 in Germany at the first summit under the caption Medication Safety Challenges, initially proposed by WHO. The continuous advocacy by FIP for over a decade, highlights the role of the pharmacist in patient safety and has revolutionised patient treatment approach with the inclusion of all healthcare professionals.
The primary objectives of the designated World Patient Safety Day aim to achieve an increase of public awareness and engagement in patient safety, enhancing global understanding of patient safety and stimulating global solidarity to support patient safety.
The hallmark of a good pharmacist is when that pharmacist assumes personal responsibility for their patient safety, making it a top priority in medication management, not only safe dispensing but safe prescribing as a pharmaceutical core function. It involves quality control checks, inventory management, optimum storage, traceability, accountability, addressing polypharmacy, accurate dispensing and timely counselling. Most importantly, receiving feedback about any undesirable effect(s) and making suggestions on the way forward.
ADE (adverse drug events) from continuous ADR (adverse drug reactions) maybe preventable in half of all reported cases.
A bottom up approach should be activated for patient safety such as the yellow card system instituted by the United Kingdom, which can be easily accessed online at www.mhra.gov.uk/yellowcard to formally report any adverse reactions to drugs or vaccines so that there could be redress.
The FIP developed the five moments tool to enhance medication safety for the pharmacy operations, those moments when to recheck for errors such as starting a medication, whilst taking medication, adding on a new medication, reviewing a medication and when stopping a medication. At these moments critical questions to stimulate patient self-reflection and patient engagement can result in safe, effective and appropriate use of medications.
In 2020 the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) received in excess of one hundred thousand complaints about medication errors such as wrong drug dispensed, wrong dosage, harmful drug to drug interaction, drug preparation and delivery error and inappropriate or over prescribing of opioids.
The pharmacists have engaged successfully in the stewardship model for rational use of antibiotics and now opioids, flagging unjustifiably recurrent prescriptions so that medication addiction or associated dangers can be curbed. Discussions on taking a similar approach to address glycemic control and thrombotic are now considered.
Some of the factors to be considered for reducing medication errors are the patient age, weight, ethnicity, diet, and allergies to medication, the liver and kidney function. The multidisciplinary team approach to treatment ensures inclusive participations of all healthcare professionals so that the patient gets the best treatment.
The five rights must be observed when dispensing a prescription to prevent medication errors; the right patient, the right drug, the right dose, the right time and the right route. There are many lookalike pills and pill containers and sound alike medication names, so operational pharmacy systems must be instituted to eliminate any possible dispensing errors. Other dispensing errors such as dispensing to the wrong patient can occur so systems to verify the correct identity of the patient must be in place. Policies and procedures for the system design must address these loopholes proactively; either to prevent a possible dispensing error or recognise the error beforehand and make amendments.
The onus is on the pharmacist to communicate safety concerns in a professional and non- judgmental manner so as to proactively address any conflict resolution issues that may arise. A service model to improve quality of care and to encourage error reporting in a blame-free environment is key to growth opportunities.
The impact of patient safety is not easily measurable and hence many times taken for granted and subsequently unrewarded or recognised. How do you quantify the near misses such as preventing a hospital re-admission or saving a life?
For further pharmacological guidance and physician referral, contact the pharmacist of Medicine Express Pharmacy located at 223 Camp Street, between Lamaha and New Market Streets. If you have any queries, comments or further information on the above topic kindly forward them to medicine.express@gmail.com or send them to 223 Camp Street, N/burg. Tel #225-5142.