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In its 2010 report, the Office of the Inspector General (OIG) found 13.5% of hospitalized Medicare patients experience harm in October 2008. This OIG report has updated the proportion of hospitalized Medicare patients who experienced harm and the resulting costs in October of 2018. Researchers found 12% of patients experienced adverse events, and an additional 13% experienced temporary harm. Reviewers determined 43% of harm events could have been prevented and resulted in significant costs to Medicare and patients.

This website for independent community pharmacy owners across the United Kingdom features both free and members-only guidance, reporting platforms, and document templates to support patient safety. It includes reporting tools and incident analysis reports for providers in England, Scotland, and Northern Ireland. Topics covered in the communications include look-alike and sound-alike drugs, patient safety audits, and safe dispensing of liquid medications.

The practice of using multi-dose insulin pens, meant for single patient use only, among multiple patients has been linked to health care–associated infections. This announcement outlines federal labeling requirements to raise awareness of the risks associated with this practice to prevent misuse of the devices.

This piece reviews risks associated with the use of compounding pharmacies and recommends that legislative oversight can improve medication safety.

This article describes how multiple-dose containers of intravenous radiological contrast media can spread infection and makes recommendations to address this risk.

This monthly selection of error reports discusses incidents involving incomplete administration of a two-part pediatric vaccine and drug name confusion.

This monthly selection reports on two pediatric deaths due to severe hyponatremia following postoperative fluid administration. Errors involving a missing dose clarification request, a related near miss, and medication name confusion are also described.

This monthly selection of error reports discusses incidents involving insulin preparation, automated medication cabinet stocking, and medication list filing.

This monthly error report analysis includes examples of miscommunication regarding medication allergy, incorrect dosing of opiates, and misplacement of a medication patch in an automated dispensing cabinet.

This monthly selection of error reports shares examples of topical anesthetic error, methotrexate overdose, and child-proof medicine cap dangers.