Medication reconciliation: a prescription for safer care.

Four national healthcare organizations - Accreditation Canada, the Canadian Institute for Health Information, the Canadian Patient Safety Institute and the Institute for Safe Medication Practices Canada - recently collaborated to better understand and share comprehensive information about medication reconciliation in Canada. This article summarizes the key findings of their joint report titled Medication Reconciliation in Canada: Raising the Bar and profiles innovative approaches and tools for healthcare organizations across Canada.

Implementing system safeguards to prevent error-induced injury with opioids (narcotics): an ISMP Canada collaborative.

Institute for Safe Medication Practices Canada (ISMP Canada) is involved in collaborative initiatives focusing on opioid safety in two Canadian provinces: Ontario and Alberta. Baseline survey responses from these provinces indicate opportunities for improvements to the opioid system that might be applicable nationally. Information about the Ontario project and preliminary analysis of follow-up survey results from that province are shared here, to increase awareness and create further national impetus for the enhancement of safeguards in the use and management of opioids.