A new online patient safety tool is available to help hospitals, long-term care facilities, and outpatient facilities evaluate their best practices related to high-alert medications, identify opportunities for improvement, and track their experiences over time.

Developed by the Institute for Safe Medication Practices (ISMP), the ISMP Medication Safety Self Assessment^® for High-Alert Medications focuses on general high-alert medications and 11 specific medication categories including opioids, insulin, neuromuscular blocking agents, chemotherapy, and moderate and minimal sedation.

Participants who submit assessment findings to ISMP anonymously via a secure Internet portal can obtain weighted scores to compare with demographically similar organizations.

Participation also can help organizations meet requirements for managing high-alert medications from regulatory and accrediting agencies, such as the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services and The Joint Commission.

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