USP Healthcare Quality and Safety (HQS) Center of Excellence develops standards and solutions that assist healthcare professionals in the delivery of safe and efficient patient care – helping patients get the right care, at the right place, at the right time.
General Chapters
The USP Healthcare Quality and Safety (HQS) Center of Excellence provides healthcare standards and solutions that impact the handling and delivery of medicines.
- USP General Chapter <1066> Physical Environments That Promote Safe Medication Use
- The work environment has been identified as one of the most commonly reported factors contributing to medication errors reported to USP. USP General Chapter <1066> describes optimal physical environment standards that promote accurate medication use and improve the performance of persons involved in the medication use process in any practice setting, including the patient’s home. It addresses optimal illumination, sound and noise, physical design and organization of the workspace.
- USP General Chapter <1265> Written Prescription Drug Information – Guidelines
- USP General Chapter <1265> provides guidelines on prescription drug leaflet format, content, and accessibility to help providers who counsel patients about their medicines. The guidelines provide ways to ensure understanding of medicine information to maximize benefit and minimize harm.
Safety Collaborations
After leading its formation in 1995, USP continues to serve as the Secretariat and a member of the National Coordinating Council for Medication Error Reporting and Prevention (NCC–MERP), an independent body composed of 27 national organizations that addresses the interdisciplinary causes of medication errors and promotes the safe use of medications.
Medication Safety-Related Labeling Changes
USP seeks to provide healthcare practitioners with solutions and tools to deliver safe and efficient patient care. Some specific medication safety-related labeling solutions and tools include:
- Labeling
- Monographs
National Coordinating Council for Medication Error Reporting and Prevention
USP is a founding member and secretariat for the National Coordinating Council for Medication Error Reporting and Prevention (NCC MERP). NCC MERP is an independent body comprising 26 national healthcare organizations, including the American Pharmacists Association, the American Society of Consultant Pharmacists, and the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists, which are collaborating to address the interdisciplinary causes of errors and to promote the safe use of medications. For more information about this group and its work, visit www.nccmerp.org.
Collaborative Partnerships
- American Pharmacists Association (APhA)
- American System of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP)
- U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) Safe Use Initiative
- Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA)
- Institute for Safe Medication Practices (ISMP)
- National Coordinating Council for Medication Error Reporting and Prevention (NCC MERP)
Meetings & Education
USP hosts meetings and education courses focused on pharmacy, medication safety, and other areas related to patient care. For a complete list of events, visit the USP Meetings calendar.