Assessment Tool for Aseptic Compounding (ATAC) Introduction
The Assessment Tool for Aseptic Compounding (ATAC) was developed by the Canadian Society of Hospital Pharmacists (CSHP). The items in the tool draw on the best and leading practices articulated in CSHP's publication, Compounding: Guidelines for Pharmacies.1
The ATAC is designed to:
- Heighten awareness of the distinguishing characteristics of a high-quality, reliable aseptic compounding service involving non-hazardous drugs
- Create a new baseline of efforts to enhance the safety and quality of aseptic compounding practices in Canadian hospitals and pharmacies
- Assist pharmacies, at the site level, in evaluating their efforts over time and in comparison to their peers across Canada
The ATAC is intended for use by hospitals, community pharmacies, and other organizations that prepare medications under aseptic conditions.
The ATAC is not a substitute for CSHP's Compounding: Guidelines for Pharmacies, or for the Model Standards for Pharmacy Compounding of Non-hazardous Sterile Preparations2 published by the National Association of Pharmacy Regulatory Authorities.
The assessment tool is divided into 11 key elements that have been deemed to most significantly influence aseptic compounding practices. Each key element is defined by one or more core distinguishing characteristics of an aseptic compounding service. There are a total of 29 core characteristics. Representative assessment items are provided to help healthcare teams to evaluate their success with each of the core distinguishing characteristics.
Some of the assessment items refer to "Similar to NAPRA": this note refers to the Model Standards for Pharmacy Compounding of Non-Hazardous Sterile Preparations developed by the National Association of Pharmacy Regulatory Authorities (NAPRA). Any such reference to NAPRA's Model Standards for Pharmacy Compounding of Non-hazardous Sterile Preparations is for "reference purposes only": no text from NAPRA's Model Standards has been excerpted and incorporated into the ATAC.
CSHP is not a standard-setting organization. As such, the assessment items in this document are not intended to represent a minimum standard of practice and should not be considered as such. In fact, some of the criteria represent innovative practices and system enhancements that are not widely implemented in most pharmacies today. However, their value in developing a high quality, reliable aseptic compound services is grounded in best and leading practices from within Canada and abroad.
ATAC findings are intended for internal use and become more useful as repeat assessments are performed to see where improvements have been achieved over time and where challenges remain. Aggregate results of assessments may be used by CSHP for research and education purposes.
The content of the ATAC and its components are copyrighted by CSHP. The assessment may not be used in whole or in part for any other purpose or by any other entity except for self-assessment of compounding practices by hospitals, community pharmacies, and other organizations that prepare medications under aseptic conditions, as part of their ongoing quality improvement activities.
The electronic platform supporting the ATAC is copyrighted by the Institute for Safe Medication Practices Canada (ISMP Canada).
Acknowledgement
CSHP gratefully acknowledges the following people and organizations:
| CSHP's Compounding Knowledge Mobilization Task Force | |
| Cenzina Caliguri | Catherine Lyder |
| Bal Dhillon | Dana Lyons |
| Jill Hardy | Douglas Sellinger |
| Michelle Koberinski | Marianne Tofan |
The ATAC was developed in collaboration with ISMP Canada.
ISMP Canada team members
Julie Greenall
Gary Lee
Financial support was provided by 
. Pfizer Injectables was not involved in the development of the assessment tool.
1 Compounding: Guidelines for Pharmacies. Ottawa, ON. Canadian Society of Hospital Pharmacists, 2014.
2 Model Standards of Practice for Sterile Compounding. Ottawa, ON. National Association of Pharmacy Regulatory Authorities, 2016.