City of Hope successfully completed its first Medication Error Reduction Plan (MERP) Survey conducted by the California Department of Public Health. The surveyors, who visited City of Hope on Sept. 8, gave accolades to staff for their considerable achievements since 2008.

A 2001 law required all hospital and surgical clinics to develop a formal plan to eliminate or substantially reduce medication-related errors. The California Department of Public Health began surveying hospitals in January to assess their compliance with the law. As part of the state’s MERP, clinics are surveyed every three years.

The surveyors assessed City of Hope’s compliance with health and safety code requirements related to reducing medication errors, as well as state licensing issues.

City of Hope received positive feedback for its focus on safe medication use, which is essential to quality patient care. Surveyors acknowledged the pharmacy, physicians and nursing teams for their high level of professionalism.

Every staff member involved with patient medication received thorough information to prepare for the survey. Staff members are expected to be critical thinkers when it comes to administering medication. When performing any medication-

related activity, they must first analyze where errors might come from — and ensure that the right patients get the right medications in the right doses at the right times and frequencies.

“We are extremely proud of our staff, from pharmacists to nurses, for their commitment to ensuring that patients get the very best and safest care,” said Tricia Kassab, R.N., B.S.N., M.S., vice president of quality and patient safety. “They understand the culture of patient safety and know how important it is to put it into practice every day.”