Concentrate on the Patient:
Combating Medication Errors
With Bar-Code Technology

Release Date: May 2005
Expiration Date: May 31, 2006

This program was recorded live and is being offered online and as a CD-ROM.

NEEDS STATEMENT
Ever since the Institute of Medicine found in a 1999 report that approximately 98,000 patients died each year from medical errors in U.S. hospitals–with 7,000 of those deaths directly attributable to errors involving medications–reducing the frequency of these mistakes has been a top priority. Healthcare organizations and governmental agencies also took notice of these statistics and have searched for ways to address the problem. The Food and Drug Administration, in a 2004 ruling, has mandated that most medications and biological products include a bar code on their labels. This rule will become fully enforceable in April, 2006. With the due date quickly approaching, hospitals need to know how to go about introducing bar-code technology.

TARGET AUDIENCE
This activity is intended for physicians, pharmacists and nurses interested in bar-code technology and its potential to impact mistakes involving medications.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES
At the completion of this activity, participants should be able to:

• Describe how bar-code technology works and its role in reducing medical errors in the hospital setting.
  
• Discuss the FDA's final ruling on bar coding and its potential impact on hospital policies and procedures.
  
• Identify the concerns of each healthcare team member (physician, pharmacist, nurse) with the implementation of bar-code technology.
  
• List specific steps to successfully implement bar-code technology in the hospital setting.

ACCREDITATION STATEMENTS
Physicians: This activity has been planned and implemented in accordance with the Essential Areas and policies of the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) through the joint sponsorship of AKH Inc. and McMahon Publishing Group. AKH Inc. is accredited by the ACCME to provide continuing medical education for physicians. AKH Inc. designates this educational activity for a maximum of 1.0 category 1 credits toward the AMA Physician's Recognition Award. Each physician should claim only those credits that he/she actually spent in the activity.

Pharmacists: AKH Inc. is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE) as a provider of continuing pharmacy education. This program has been assigned the ACPE Universal Program Number 077-999-05-020-H04 and is acceptable for 1.0 contact hours (0.10 CEUs) in states that recognize ACPE-approved providers.

Nurses: This educational activity for 1.2 contact hours (0.12 CEU) is provided by AKH Inc. AKH Inc. is accredited as a provider of continuing nursing education by the American Nurses Credentialing Center's Commission on Accreditation.

CONFLICT-OF-INTEREST STATEMENT
AKH Inc., and their shareholders have no significant financial relationships with the manufacturers of medical or pharmaceutical products, nor with the providers of noneducational medical services. It is the policy of AKH Inc. to ensure independence, balance, objectivity, scientific rigor, and integrity in all of their continuing education activities. The faculty must disclose to the participants any personal relationships with the commercial companies whose products or devices may be mentioned in this course or with the commercial supporter of this continuing education activity.

DISCLAIMER
This course is designed solely to provide the healthcare professional with information to assist in his/her practice and professional development and is not to be considered a diagnostic tool to replace professional advice or treatment. The course serves as a general guide to the healthcare professional, and therefore cannot be considered as giving legal, nursing, medical, or other professional advice in specific cases. AKH Inc., the author(s), and the publisher specifically disclaim responsibility for any adverse consequences resulting directly or indirectly from information in the course; for undetected error; or through the reader’s misunderstanding of the course.

METHOD OF PARTICIPATION
This activity should take approximately 60 minutes to complete. There are no fees for participating in and receiving credit for this activity. The participant should, in order, read the objectives and monograph, answer the multiple-choice online post-test, and complete the online evaluation. The evaluation form provides each participant with the opportunity to comment on the quality of the instructional process, the perception of enhanced professional effectiveness, the perception of commercial bias, and his/her views on future educational needs. To receive credit for this activity, follow the post-test instructions. A score of at least 70% is required to successfully complete this program. One retake is allowed. This credit is valid through May 31, 2006.

This educational activity does not contain discussion of unapproved/investigative uses of a commercial product/device.

FACULTY
Bonnie Kirschenbaum, MS, FASHP
Healthcare Consultant
Breckenridge, Colorado

FACULTY DISCLOSURES
Bonnie Kirschenbaum, MS, FASHP, discloses that she has received consulting fees or direct honoraria from UDL Laboratories, Inc. for product consultation.

SOFTWARE REQUIREMENTS
Internet Explorer (v5.5 or greater) or Netscape (v7.02 or greater)
Flash Player Plugin
Adobe Acrobat Reader
Internet Explorer not supported on the Macintosh.
Windows 98 SE or above

Physicians Click Here

Pharmacists Click Here

Nurses Click Here