Should the characteristics contained in the self-assessment be viewed as current standards of practice?
No. ISMP is not a standards setting organization. As such, the self-assessment characteristics represent the ideal and are not purported to represent a minimum standard of practice and should not be considered as such. In fact, some of the self-assessment criteria represent innovative practices and system enhancements that are not widely available in pharmacies today. However, their value in reducing errors is grounded in expert analysis of medication errors, scientific research, or strong evidence of their ability to reduce errors.
