Hospital Self-Assessment for Anticoagulant Safety Frequently Asked Questions
- Do we need senior administrative staff on our team?
- A senior administrator is useful but not vital at these meetings depending on the knowledge and expertise of the other because the assessment contains many items that challenge or inquire about your organization's overall commitment to patient safety. However, participation in the self-assessment provides senior administrative staff with insight into areas of anticoagulant safety at your institution.
- How many team meetings should we schedule?
- We suggest you schedule at least one meeting of one to two hours to complete the self-assessment. Some sites have completed the assessment in less time than this and some have run longer than one hour at a meeting, but most report not needing to meet more than two hours.
- What if an item doesn't apply to the services offered in my hospital?
- If an item does not apply to services offered in your hospital then an answer of N/A may be appropriate since your hospital would not be prone to errors in medication dosing for certain patient populations. This version of the self-assessment includes instructions where this might apply.
- May I make copies of the Self-Assessment document?
- You may make as many copies of this document as are required for the team to complete the HSASAS. You may not modify or alter the content in any way. Furthermore, you may not modify, transmit, post, or use the contents of this document for personal, public, or commercial purposes unless you have obtained written permission from ISMP Canada.
- My facility has a number of sites. Do I need a password for each one?
- If your facility is homogeneous or is managed as a single entity, then it may be appropriate to conduct a single HSASAS across the entire institution. However, if your sites are relatively autonomous and have different procedures and levels of technology, then separate HSASASs are probably in order.
- Are there situations where the HSASAS is not appropriate for a facility?
- This HSASAS version is intended for acute care hospitals. As such, it may not be applicable for use in a long-term care facility or one with a large outpatient component.
- How are individual items scored?
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Each item has a specific weighting. If the characteristic is fully implemented, then the maximum score is achieved.
The scoring is not the same for all items, as some identify situations representing a higher level of evidence than others. These items have higher maximum scores. The scores may range this way:
For current strategies:
0, 1, 3, 4 or
0, 2, 6, 8For current practices:
0, 1, 2, 3, 4 or
0, 2, 4, 6, 8 - How can I use our self-assessment results?
- Your hospital's self-assessment results can be used to identify gaps in practice and implement strategies and practices that have been proven to improve the safety of patient with respect to anticoagulants. It can be a tool to increase awareness of best practices and can be used to track your progress over time.