Welcome to CSHP

The Partnership for Safe Medicines has developed the L.E.A.D.E.R.'s Guide for pharmacists. This resource is designed to help pharmacists stop counterfiet drugs from reaching consumers. To learn more about the Partnership for Safe Medicines, visit www.safemedicines.org.

"Why ASHP publishes Best Practices" was recently as part of the American Journal of Health-System Pharmacy.

The Institute for Safe Medication Practices (ISMP) has posted the following article on their website: "FDA and ISMP Lists of Look-Alike Drug Name Sets With Recommended Tall Man Letters."

Sacramento Valley Society of Health-System Pharmacists' (SVSHP) 2008 President Al Schaad has transcribed pharmacy portions of the Conditions of Participation and Title XXII into excel grids for your convenience.

• Conditions of Participation
• Title XXII

California Department of Public Health (CDPH) has stimulated an unprecedented amount of networking and sharing of information, experience, and documents by members of CSHP. In light of this, some members of CSHP are willing to share their policies and procedures or doctor's orders. These two documents focus on the FDA Black Box warnings for fentanyl prescribing and monitoring:

• Doctor's Orders: Fentanyl Patch Order
• Policy and Procedure for Transdermal Fentanyl Patch Prescribing and Use

The following presentation and chart have been provided by Pamela M. Richter, PharmD, Safety Pharmacist at ScrippHealth System and Cardinal Health:

• Black Box Warnings Review and Summary
• Black Box Warnings Summary Grid

The following information on Guidelines for Methadone Induction and Form have been provided by Victoria Ferraresi, PharmD, FCSHP, FASHP, Director of Pharmacy Services, Pathways Home Health and Hospice:

• Guidelines for Methadone Induction
• Methadone - Physician Orders Form

CSHP Chair of the Board Alan Endo, PharmD, FCSHP, who is also the Pharmacy Director at Presbyterian Intercommunity Hospital, participated in the 2008 & 2009 Joint Commission Updates and Recent Survey Experience on Thursday, December 6, 2007. During the event, Dr. Endo presented a slideshow titled: "CMS & Black Box Warnings - What is the Expectation for Hospitals?" This presentation defines boxed warnings, California Department of Public Health Expectations, costs of adverse drug reactions, fentanyl patch cautions, what hospitals should do to meet compliance and much more.

John H. Eastham, PharmD, Medication Safety Specialist at Palomar Pomerado Health submitted the following attachment to document how they are addressing CDPH's black box warning with Haldol IV:

• ICU Delerium Orders for Haldol IV

LA County Best Practice Recommendations for FDA Black Box Warnings: The "LA County Best Practice Recommendations for FDA Black Box Warnings" reflects the March 2008 recommendations of the Los Angeles County Department of Health Services, and was designed as a step towards internal medication safety improvement. However, it is not a static document; recommendations will change as new information is available.

"The Continuing Dilemma of Drugs With Black Box Warnings," written by Joyce A. Generali, MS, RPh, FASHP, can be found in Hospital Pharmacy, Volume 43, Number 1, page 7.