USP <800> requires healthcare organizations to document and communicate safety guidelines for hazardous drugs from the NIOSH hazardous drugs list. While this list is helpful, it is not comprehensive. Not only is the most current list more than two years old, but the FDA also approves hundreds of new drugs that could fall into the hazardous category each year. 

Did you know that at least one hazardous drug policy or process made the Top Five USP <800> requirements being reviewed by State Boards of Pharmacy, Accreditors, and Centers for Medicare and Medicaid¹?

You can bet that the Joint Commission will be checking. We understand that locating, storing and communicating the Safety Data Sheets (SDS) is a laborious job. What if SDS were located on a central platform and, wait for it … were automatically available? It’s possible. 

Spelling Out These Legal Terms in Hazardous Drugs Regulations

We're revisiting this blog first published in January 2021 because the terms 'should, shall, must' continue to cause confusion when trying to comply with FDA, OSHA, and USP <800> regulations. Are you one of many healthcare workers still searching for clear definitions of these tricky terms? We're here to help!

Are hazardous drug protocols documented and accessible in your facility? Seems like a no-brainer, especially considering all of the other potential upgrades and changes your facility may have to undertake to comply with USP <800>. But it’s among the most important pieces of the regulation because what good are policies if the healthcare workers they’re designed to protect do not know about them?

We’re continuing to expand on the content from our most popular blog in 2021 - “From Our Customers: The Top 8 Questions To Expect In Joint Commission Inspections.” This time we’ll explain antimicrobial stewardship and how to prepare for the Joint Commission inspectors.  

The popularity of our most-read blog from 2021 - “From Our Customers: The Top 8 Questions To Expect In Joint Commission Inspections” - indicates that hospitals and healthcare systems continue to hustle to ensure all i’s are dotted and t’s are crossed before a visit from Joint Commission, accreditation or state board of pharmacy inspectors. 

The popularity of our most-read blog from 2021 - “From Our Customers: The Top 8 Questions To Expect In Joint Commission Inspections” - indicates that hospitals and healthcare systems continue to hustle to ensure all i’s are dotted and t’s are crossed before a visit from Joint Commission, accreditation or state board of pharmacy inspectors. 

Like many hospitals and healthcare systems, Duke University Hospital’s online formulary consisted of a spreadsheet housed on the intranet. The spreadsheet only listed medications that were considered formulary, and there was no information provided concerning associated restrictions, policies, or guidelines. This information was not readily available or easily retrievable for nurses and other staff members. 

Have you ever laid in bed at night and wondered “What will we do if our Designated Person leaves?” If this possibility hasn’t crossed your mind, it should.