Recognizing National Patient Safety Awareness Week, March 7-13, MMS President Thomas E. Sullivan, M.D., is encouraging physicians and other health care providers to participate in the educational and awareness-building activities planned by the Society, their offices, hospitals, and other health care organizations.

Concerning MMS efforts to promote patient safety, Dr. Sullivan said, "The Society's focus on improving the communication between patients, their families and physicians is a giant step forward to preventing medical errors that are avoidable." Additionally, Dr. Sullivan is encouraging medical staff presidents at Massachusetts hospitals to promote educational programs and awareness-building activities at their institutions.

Committee Focuses on Patient Safety
In response to reports issued last year by the Institutes of Medicine, the MMS Committee on Quality of Medical Practice (CQMP) has been actively working to increase awareness of patient safety issues and efforts to reduce medical errors. Some of the key projects completed include the following:

• A Patient Safety Forum. Held at the MMS Headquarters on February 12, 2004, in collaboration with the Massachusetts Coalition for the Prevention of Medical Errors (MCPME), the forum brought together leaders in patient safety, physicians, and others to discuss the problems facing health care providers regarding medication errors and communicating critical test results. The program brought to the forefront contributing factors to medical errors in office-based practices/ambulatory settings and discussed practical strategies for reducing these errors. In addition, the Society and its CQMP are planning an April patient safety program focusing on communication.
• List of Abbreviations That Should Never Be Used. Developed by the Institute for Safe Medication Practices (ISMP) and endorsed by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations, a list of "abbreviations not to use" was adopted by the CQMP along with acceptable alternative abbreviations. The MMS has urged medical staff presidents at all Massachusetts hospitals to use the ISMP list to further reduce confusion and medical errors. This list will be included in the seventh edition of the Massachusetts Outpatient Formulary Guide this spring.
• A Prescription Medication Information Card. Developed in partnership with the MMS Alliance, the CQMP, with input from the MCPME, updated the wallet-sized card for distribution to patients. New information on the card includes sections for allergies, adverse reactions, frequency of administration, and herbal remedies and vitamins.
• Patient Safety Directory of Internet Resources. This new resource provides more than 50 Internet-based guides and brochures on how to improve patient safety both for physicians and for health care consumers. The information covers various health care topics and includes tips on communicating with your patients (and how they should communicate with you), preventing medication errors, and preventing errors during hospital stays.

- David J. Huffman

For further information, please visit www.massmed.org/pages/cqmp_abbreviations.asp and www.massmed.org/pages/patientsafetylinks.asp.