Suboptimal working conditions are a known contributor to errors in retail pharmacies. This news article discusses how one major pharmacy chain will adjust their staff quality metrics to eliminate timing as a performance measure in the interest of reducing pharmacist and staff burnout and fulfilment errors.

Look-alike sound-alike packaging is a known risk factor in medication errors. This news story discusses how a questionable design decision to use similar cap colors for the latest COVID boosters creates potential for administration errors.  

Technological solutions harbor unique risks that can result in patient harm. This article shares a response to reports of automated dispensing cabinet (ADC) menu selection limitations that contribute to mistakes. The piece suggests the implementation of a 5-letter search requirement prior to removing a medication from an ADC. It provides an update on industry response to this forcing function recommendation.

The opioid epidemic has contributed to uncertainties for pain management patients that result in harm. This article discusses how an endometriosis patient was unable to get prescriptions to manage her pain due to misinformation generated through screening tools designed to identify opioid misuse and inform prescribing decisions.

Pharmacies are high-pressure environments generating conditions that undermine safety. This story highlights working conditions in chain pharmacies that cause concerns for pharmacists in their ability to prepare and dispense medications safely due to lack of appropriate staffing and time to do their jobs.

Unit-based pharmacy services help to mitigate and catch medication errors. This report highlights a case of a medication error death and describes how embedding clinical pharmacy services could have prevented this incident. The report provides system level recommendations to enhance this service including defining the role of clinical pharmacy teams and prioritizing the tactic as an important improvement strategy.   

Response to reported safety concerns is a primary indicator of an organizational commitment to reducing and learning from errors. This news story discusses one retail pharmacy chain's lack of transparency regarding work conditions contributing to fulfillment pressures and errors.