A hospital’s formulary initially consisted of a simple book of medications approved for patient use in that particular organization. When hospitals made their formulary available online in the late 1990s, it was basically the same book, but now on a computer screen.

Spelling Out These Legal Terms in Hazardous Drugs Regulations

If you’re reading this, then you’re one of many healthcare workers who have second guessed the meanings of should, shall, and must in FDA, OSHA, and USP <800> regulations--or other legal documents as part of your work. 

It seems that you can't turn on the news without hearing about the next wave of COVID-19 that will soon travel across the U.S. Numbers are rising across the nation and there is again a great focus on the capacity of hospital systems to diagnose and treat sick patients, as well as maintain capacity for everyday operations outside of coronavirus care. 

While much of the discussion is on the ability to care for the increase in patients, we can't help but focus on the safety of healthcare workers as well. 

A shocking 8 million U.S. healthcare workers are potentially exposed to hazardous drugs (HDs) each year according to the CDC. In fact, a report in Pharmacy Times states, “compared with any other occupational setting, the health care setting uses the largest and most diverse array of agents that are hazardous to humans.” Not only are they exposed to a variety of hazardous agents every day, the effects may be compounded over the decades of their career.

Rpharmy is raising the bar in USP 800 compliance with Rhazdrugs, a searchable hazardous drugs database accessible at the point of care improving visibility, frontline healthcare staff safety, and compliance with regulations including USP 800.

By Integrating Critical Information at Point of Care, Rhazdrugs Improves Frontline Healthcare Staff Safety, Raises Bar for USP 800 Compliance 

Several months ago, in this same space, one of our clients shared her perspective around USP <800>. She discussed the complexity of managing the volumes of critical safety information and the continuous influx of updates, additions and changes. We felt it was a topic worth revisiting as we continue the conversation around the relationship between the cost and benefits of Rpharmy’s Rhazdrugs software.

There is excellent information in the public domain regarding USP <800>. We have compiled a list of frequently used links we see on our FormWeb and Rhazdrugs software customers. We hope that these sites might be useful.

I am so grateful to Angie for being our guest blogger last week and introducing a very important topic – USP <800> compliance.

I realize I am giving away my age, but I am part of a generation that still remembers driving around in a car without seatbelts. Our moms would reach across the front seat and hold you in your seat with her arm. We would slide across the back seat with your brothers and sisters on sharp turns. Then we got lap belts that gave way to three-point seat belts and airbags. And we resisted seatbelts at first, but now we feel unsafe without them.

In the healthcare world we have been using and handling these potentially hazardous medications for years without a seatbelt, so to speak. So why now do we have USP <800>? Because like the invention of seatbelts, we now know better and we can do better. And it’s an enforceable regulation.

There are a lot of ways for organizations to be compliant with USP <800>. An organization can please the inspectors and check the boxes or they can please the inspectors and check the box AND keep their employees safe. It is a choice. Many of the requirements for USP <800> can be met by placing binders and notebooks on shelves in a central location hoping they will be accessed. But wouldn’t it be so much better for everyone if this valuable safety information was accessible to employees at the point of care? That’s where Rhazdrugs comes in.

Rhazdrugs is a comprehensive list of hazardous drugs and a database that communicates hazardous drug disposal and handling to ensure healthcare worker safety across your entire organization. Hospital, pharmacy, veterinary clinic, skilled nursing facility – wherever it may be, Rhazdrugs provides critical information and much needed peace of mind so that healthcare workers can remain focused on their patients.

In my family we have three doctors, five nurses, and others who are employed in the healthcare sector. We are working hard to do our part to keep our loved ones informed and safe from harm. And we want to help you and your organizations to do the same.