October 9, 2025 | 1:00 p.m. - 1:30 p.m. ET
Overview
This webinar explores the causes and risks of wrong drug errors, with a focus on drug name similarities, formulation confusion, and confirmation bias among healthcare practitioners. It highlights real-world examples from the ISMP National Medication Errors Reporting Program (ISMP MERP), including mix-ups involving different salt forms, release types, and injectable formulations. Participants will learn about system-level contributors and gain actionable strategies to prevent and detect these potentially harmful errors.
Intended Audience
- Medication Safety and Patient Safety Officers
- Risk Management and Quality Managers
- Medication Safety Committees
- Nurses
- Pharmacists
- Pharmacy Technicians
- Physicians
Learning Objectives
- Describe the safety challenges associated with wrong drug medication errors due to similarity in generic names.
- Examine the contributing factors that lead to wrong drug errors associated with similarity in generic drug names.
- List recommendations for healthcare organizations to prevent and catch errors associated with similar generic names.
Speakers
Rita Jew, PharmD, MBA, BCPPS, FASHP
President, ISMP
Rita K. Jew, PharmD, MBA, BCPPS, FASHP, is President of the Institute for Safe Medication Practices (ISMP) and brings over 30 years of leadership in pharmaceutical care. Her career spans executive roles at leading institutions such as UCSF Health and the Children’s Hospitals of Orange County and Philadelphia, as well as consulting through her firm RKJ Health Partners. Dr. Jew has contributed extensively to the field through publications, presentations, and co-authorship of a book on extemporaneous formulations. A recognized leader in professional pharmacy organizations, she has received multiple honors, including the Jonathan Roberts Award and ASHP’s Distinguished Service Award. She holds a PharmD from UCSF, an MBA from Wharton, is a Board-Certified Pediatric Pharmacy Specialist, and completed a clinical pharmacy residency at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital.
Kara Jensen, PharmD, BCPS
ISMP/Army Safe Medication Management Fellow 2025-2026
Kara Jensen, PharmD, BCPS is the 2025-2026 ISMP Safe Medication Management Fellow, supported by the US Army. Kara is an active-duty US Army Officer and most recently worked as the Deputy Commander for Nursing at Wiesbaden Army Health Clinic in Germany. She received her Doctor of Pharmacy Degree from Virginia Commonwealth University/ Medical College of Virginia in Richmond, VA. In her previous positions, Kara has actively contributed to medication safety through participation on various safety committees where she gained an interest in medication safety. In July, Kara returned to the United States to begin her Fellowship. Throughout her fellowship year, she is looking forward to learning more about medication safety which will further equip her to promote and implement best practices within the Army Pharmacy system.
CE Accreditation
In support of improving patient care, this activity has been planned and implemented by Partners for Advancing Clinical Education (PACE) and Institute for Safe Medication Practices. PACE is jointly accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), and the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), to provide continuing education for the healthcare team.
Pharmacy Continuing Education
Partners designates this continuing education activity for 0.5 contact hour(s) (0.05 CEUs) of the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education.
Type of Activity: Knowledge
Nursing Continuing Professional Development
The maximum number of hours awarded for this Nursing Continuing Professional Development activity is 0.5 contact hours.
Funding Source: This activity is supported by an independent educational grant from Azurity Pharmaceuticals.
