St. Joseph’s/Candler named a finalist for medication-use safety award

St. Joseph's/Candler was recently selected as a finalist in the competition for the 2006 Award for Excellence in Medication-Use Safety. The Award is given annually by the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists’ Research and Education Foundation.

"Being named a finalist for this award is extremely important," said Ray Maddox, Pharm.D., Director of Clinical Pharmacy, Research and Pulmonary Medicine for St. Joseph's/Candler. "It’s the only program to honor a pharmacist-led multidisciplinary team for its significant institution-wide system improvement program related to medication use."

As a finalist, St. Joseph’s/Candler received $10,000. The Alaska Native Medical Center in Anchorage received the first-place award and $50,000. The other finalist, McLeod Regional Medical Center in Florence, SC also received $10,000.

In 2000, a multidisciplinary team at St. Joseph’s/Candler conducted a medication safety self-assessment and identified a need to improve the safety of the IV medication administration process. The team, which included a group of physicians, pharmacists, nurses and administrators, implemented smart infusion technology in every patient care area. They also established infusion safety goals and a staff education program that included computer-based and hands-on training.

Improvement in the safety of IV medication administration at St. Joseph’s/Candler has been significant. The new system has prevented IV medication errors with a high potential for harm as well as adverse outcomes of respiratory depression in patients receiving parenteral opioids. During the first nine months of use, 521 alerts were issued and resulted in changed or cancelled infusions, averting significant medication overdoses. As an early adopter of Smart IV Technology, St. Joseph’s/Candler has become a model for other institutions looking to implement similar systems. Additionally, the health system’s experience is helping to reshape how opioid-containing pain medications are used and monitored in patients receiving patient controlled analgesia throughout the country.

Members of the team included Ray R. Maddox, Pharm.D., Chair; Bob Cary, Leigh Craft, RN, Sherry Danello, MS, RN; Marianne Fields, RN, Cary Freeland, RN, Melissa Griner, RN, Paul Gutting , MS, Beth Heape, Pharm. D., Melanie Howard, RN, James Jackson, MD; Deborah Kemp, RN, Joe Loya, Dennis Reed, Hal Richards, Pharm. D, Patsy Wallace RN., and Carolyn K. Williams, BS.

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St. Joseph’s/Candler of Savannah, Georgia (www.sjchs.org) is a national Magnet-designated facility for nursing excellence, with a focus on the latest technologies and research. Its comprehensive network includes centers of excellence for oncology, cardiovascular, neurosciences, women’s and children’s services, orthopedics and a variety of other disease specialties. Comprised of two of the oldest continuously operating hospitals in the United States, St. Joseph’s Hospital and Candler Hospital, this not for profit health system is the largest in Southeast Georgia and the region’s only faith based institution. It has been recognized as a JCAHO certified Stroke Center and is the only network accredited facility in the region.