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Medication Safety Self-Assessment for Community Pharmacy - Comprehensive Canadian Version II Instructions

Instructions for Completing the Self-Assessment

1. Establish a team similar to the following:

  • Pharmacy owner/manager
  • Staff pharmacist(s)
  • Pharmacy technician(s)
  • Pharmacy assistant(s)
  • Pharmacy clerk(s)
  • Pharmacist/pharmacy technician student(s)

Other team members to consider:

  • Patient(s) of the pharmacy – to assist in evaluating items related to patient engagement and partnership
  • Prescriber(s) – to assist in evaluating items related to interprofessional communication/collaboration
  • Front-shop manager/supervisor
  • District manager in a corporate setting

2. Distribute the assessment document before the team meeting so that each team member can review and consider the questions in advance.

It is suggested that team members read and understand the definitions before reviewing the assessment.

3. At a team meeting, discuss each assessment item and evaluate the pharmacy's current success in implementing the item.

As necessary, investigate and verify the level of implementation for each item with other team members outside the assessment team.

Possible responses:

  1. N Not Implemented – Select "Not Implemented" for items that are not in use at this time (e.g., automation).
  2. R Rarely – Select "Rarely" for items that are implemented and in practice less than 25% of the time.
  3. S Sometimes – Select "Sometimes" for items that are implemented and in practice 25-50% of the time.
  4. O Often - Select "Often" for items that are implemented and in practice 50-75% of the time.
  5. A Always - Select "Always" for items that are implemented and in practice more than 75% of the time. For self-assessment items with multiple components, full implementation (score of A) is appropriate only if all components are present.
  6. NA Not Applicable - This option is available for selected items only, with criteria as described. Generally, this response is available for circumstances that do not exist (e.g., a pharmacy that does not offer opioid agonist therapy cannot respond to items related to this service).

The assessment items are scored as follows:
N - Not Implemented = 0
R - Rarely = 1
S - Sometimes = 2
O - Often = 3
A - Always = 4
NA - Not Applicable = 0

Teams may wish to consider assigning an individual to record any discussion generated around each assessment item and the rationale behind the selected choice. This information, meant for internal use only, can be recorded in the "Notes" sections in the MSSA document. This record of discussion can assist the team when reviewing scores for individual items or completing future assessments.

4. Finalize your assessment.

You will be prompted to save your assessment responses for each section before you proceed to the next section. When all responses have been entered, you will be prompted to "Check MSSA for errors" and then to submit your results.

Once you have submitted your results you cannot edit them. The web-based survey tool will immediately download the information into a secure database maintained solely by ISMP Canada. Individual results can be viewed or accessed only by the pharmacy submitting them. No data will be maintained on the Internet survey form after it has been submitted. Confidentiality is assured.

5. Print/view your completed assessment.

Once your results have been submitted you will be able to print a report summarizing your results.

6. Compare your results to the aggregate.

Once your results have been submitted you will immediately be able to compare your results to the aggregate response. You can compare to the total aggregate or to a subset (e.g., by province/territory or to demographically similar pharmacies), using the filters provided.

7. Using aggregate data

Pharmacies can freely share their own results internally and externally as they deem appropriate; however, any comparisons to aggregate data can only be shared externally with written permission from ISMP Canada. If you would like to share this data externally (e.g., through a presentation or publication) please contact ISMP Canada to ensure appropriate acknowledgment and review of data as applicable.

ISMP Canada may use aggregate data for research and education purposes.