At ISMP, we review incident reports submitted by consumers and health professionals and look for ways to prevent harmful errors. For example, we may approach a manufacturer to suggest that the label of a product be changed, we may suggest safer ways for health professionals to handle medication, or we may remind consumers of things they can do to avoid making mistakes with medication.
ISMP will:
- Review your report
- Look for system problems that could cause errors to happen
- Prepare recommendations that are designed to prevent mistakes with medication
- Send recommendations about medication safety to health professionals and consumers
- Notify the US Food and Drug Administration's MedWatch Program and the manufacturer if a product issue
- Advocate throughout the healthcare system to promote changes to improve medication safety
- Provide consumer-focused information and tips about medication safety on the ConsumerMedSafety.com website
ISMP will not:
- Investigate a complaint on your behalf with an organization or health professional that is responsible for an error in care
- Investigate the actions of individual practitioners
- Report (for disciplinary purposes) the incident to professional authorities responsible for regulating the practice of health professionals
- Release or publish any information that could identify the reporter of an incident, a patient, a health professional or an organization involved in an incident
