Helping to Prevent Medical Errors

	Labeling		Bar Coding
	Anticoagulation Management Program		Prescription Writing Do's and Don'ts
	Common Mistakes		IHI Recommendations

When a vial of heparin leaves APP's hands, it is in the hands of physicians, hospital staff and other clinicians to make sure it safely reaches the patient. As a result, APP holds its products to the highest industry standards, and that means going beyond what's inside the vial. APP continually strives to deliver features that provide enhanced patient safety. APP understands the importance of providing well-packaged, well-labeled products to assist clinicians in ensuring the safest possible use of the heparin products.

This is APP's commitment to help reduce medication errors at the hospital-level. According to the Institute for Safe Medication Practices (ISMP), heparin and other anticoagulation drugs are high-alert medications, defined as bearing a heightened risk of causing significant patient harm when used in error.

Good medical practice mandates that the drug name, strength of the drug, dose of the drug ordered, route of administration, and the drug expiration date be checked prior to preparation, after the preparation, and prior to dispensing to the patient. There is no substitute for this practice.

On January 1, 2009, hospitals, outpatient clinics, long-term-care facilities and home care organizations accredited by The Joint Commission will be required to have anticoagulation management protocols in place. APP provides enhanced labeling and bar codes, which may assist hospitals and other health care facilities in reducing medication errors. Providing a consistent supply with standardized labeling assures that hospital staff is familiar with the product and how to properly administer it. APP has invested in its infrastructure to ensure a consistent supply of therapeutic heparin with consistent packaging and easy-to-read labels for the U.S. market.