Medication Safety
IT’S SAFE TO ASK MEDICATION CARD
Patients, families and advocates are vital partners in providing accurate and detailed information about the medications they take and how they are taking them.
The purpose of the card is to:
1. Promote safe use of medications by recording the medications you take,
2. Encourage people to ask questions about their medications, and
3. Help healthcare providers and emergency responders know patients’ current medications.
Watch this video on One Simple Solution for Medication Safety.
M.I.P.S Tips
FOR PATIENTS AND FAMILIES
It is important for you to understand what medication errors are, how they happen, and what you, your healthcare provider and your caregiver can do to help prevent them. Organizations have created easy to understand information for you:
• 5 Questions to Ask About Your Medications (Canada)
• Empowering Older Adults to Use Medication Safely (Canada)
• Medication Without Harm: Know, Check, Ask (WHO)
• Opioid Use for Pain After Surgery (Canada)
• Using Medications Safely (Canada)
• MedlinePlus explains how to take your medications safely.
• The Mayo Clinic offers tips for avoiding mistakes when taking medication.
SAFE MEDICATION USE IN CANADA
SafeMedicationUse.ca is a website where the public can report medication incidents and get information about using medication safely. They also produce newsletters that provide tips for patients and their families on how they can help prevent adverse medication events.
Consumers, patients and caregivers, as well as health professionals can subscribe to MedEffect Canada, a free service to stay informed of advisories, warnings and recalls for health products that Canadians use every day, such as pain relievers, cold medicines, prescription drugs and natural health products.
MEDICATION RECONCILIATION
Medication reconciliation is the process for making sure health professionals know about all the medications a person takes.
• Summary of Canadian MedRec Initiatives (ISMP Canada)
• Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care, Medication Reconciliation
• MATCH Toolkit for Medication Reconciliation (AHRQ, US)
• Medication Reconciliation (AHRQ, US)
FOR HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS
Many organizations provide tools and resources to educate healthcare professionals about medication errors and medication reconciliation.
• The Institute for Safe Medication Practice (ISMP) Canada produces safety bulletins and allows healthcare providers to report medication safety incidents.
o DO NOT USE: Dangerous Abbreviations, Symbols, Dose Designations
• The Canadian Patient Safety Institute has tools, resources and information on Medication Safety and a new Medication Safety at Case Transitions Safety Improvement Project.
• ISMP (US) has many Medication Safety Recommendations including lists of:
o Look-Alike Drug Names with Recommended Tall Man Letters
o High-Alert Medications
• Community/Ambulatory Settings
• Patient Safety Primer on Medication Errors (AHRQ) (US)
See also Research on Medication Safety.
