USP Quality Review

No. 67, Issued June 1999

A Systems Approach

The medication use process is a complex continuum that requires the successful interaction of multiple allied health professionals, technology, and the patient. It can be described as a succession of joined but distinct processes, known as nodes (Figure 1). Each node in the medication use process is, in actuality, a discrete system and presents an opportunity for the prevention of medication errors.

Figure 1

Nodes of the Medication Use Process
  • Prescribing
  • Documenting
  • Dispensing
  • Administering
  • Monitoring

NCC MERP promotes understanding and prevention of medication errors relative to professional practice, health care products, procedures, and systems through the collaborative and interactive involvement of national organizations and agencies. Currently seventeen organizations are members of the Council (Figure 2).

Figure 2

National Coordinating Council for Medication Error Reporting and Prevention — Organizations Represented:
  • American Association of Retired Persons
  • American Health Care Association
  • American Hospital Association
  • American Medical Association
  • American Nurses Association
  • American Pharmaceutical Association
  • American Society of Consultant Pharmacists
  • American Society of Health-System Pharmacists
  • American Society for Healthcare Risk Management
  • Food and Drug Administration
  • Generic Pharmaceutical Industry Association
  • Institute for Safe Medication Practices
  • Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations
  • National Association of Boards of Pharmacy
  • National Council of State Boards of Nursing, Inc.
  • Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America
  • United States Pharmacopeia