The opioid epidemic is an ongoing patient safety issue. This literature review examined the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on opioid surveillance research in the United Kingdom. Of studies conducted during the pandemic, most explored the impact of the pandemic on access to opioids or opioid substitution therapy.

Burnout has been a focus of numerous studies since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic; however, this is the first to focus on burnout and secondary traumatic stress (STS) among health system pharmacists. Nearly two thirds (65.3%) of respondents had a moderate to high likelihood of experiencing burnout and 51% had a high probability of STS. Due to the association between burnout and decreased patient safety, it is critical that health systems address pharmacist burnout appropriately.

Older adults are at increased risk of hospitalization due to COVID-19 infections. This study examined the potential severe drug-drug interactions (DDI) among hospitalized older adults taking two or more medications at admission and discharge. There was a significant increase in prescription of proton pump inhibitors and heparins from admission to discharge. Clinical decision support systems should be used to assess potential DDI with particular attention paid to the risk of bleeding complications linked to heparin-based DDIs.

The COVID-19 pandemic has necessitated rapid adjustments in hospital operations to address patient care demands. This commentary discusses how one hospital system utilized their quality and safety staff during the pandemic, and how that experience informed the responsiveness of system-wide quality improvement operations.

Health systems have needed to rapidly adapt processes to optimize safe care during the COVID-19 pandemic. This article describes one pharmacy department’s experience integrating emergency preparedness and disaster management principles during the COVID-19 pandemic, including the use of a department-specific incident command and delineation of responsibilities among pharmacy leadership (e.g., who monitors PPE inventory, medication distribution, workflows).

Medication reconciliation can improve patient safety, but prior research has documented challenges with implementation. Researchers conducted a gap analysis to inform the development of standardized medication reconciliation framework for use across multiple healthcare settings to reduce harm, including during the COVID-19 pandemic. Five key components were identified: (1) pharmacy-led medication reconciliation team, (2) patient education and involvement, (3) complete and accurate medication history, (4) admission and discharge reconciliation, and (5) interprofessional communication.

The COVID-19 pandemic has affected the ability of pharmacists to ensure medication safety. This article uses case scenarios to highlight challenges encountered due to the COVID-19 pandemic that required changes in pharmacist roles. Strategies to overcome challenges related to monitoring medications used to treat patients with COVID-19, preventing errors with laboratory reporting, and managing drug shortages are discussed.

Drug shortages are an ongoing threat to safe patient care. This commentary discusses the impact of COVID-19 on medication supply and demand, and the resulting drug shortages. The authors provide several recommendations for reducing future drug shortages in times of crises, including increasing stockpiles and creating a critical drug list with potential substitutes.

The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted the supply of protective equipment, medical devices and medications. This article discusses how economics contribute to drug shortages and highlights the specific impact on access to the opioids essential for providing safe care for hospitalized patients with COVID-19.

The COVID-19 pandemic has raised concerns about the pharmaceutical supply chain, from overseas manufacturing to medication distribution within the United States. This commentary presents several emergency response and preparedness measures for policymakers, pharmaceutical distributors and pharmacies to prepare for drug shortages and demand surges. Suggested measures include developing an “essential medicines” strategy, using allocation strategies that prevent stockpiling and drug shortages and expanding capacity for mail-order and home delivery.