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Medication Safety Self-assessment in Hospital Wards Within A Regional Health Services System: A Descriptive Follow-up
Kaisa Mäkinen1,2, Tiina Kortteisto3, Marja Airaksinen4
1Hospital Pharmacy, Tampere University Hospital, Wellbeing Services County of Pirkanmaa, Finland.
Journal of Patient Safety
|June 19, 2026
Summary
Hospital wards improved medication safety practices over one year. A self-assessment procedure identified key areas for development, enhancing patient safety and quality improvement initiatives.
Area of Science:
- Healthcare Management
- Patient Safety
- Quality Improvement
Background:
- Medication safety is a critical component of hospital care.
- Assessing and improving medication practices are essential for patient outcomes.
- A structured self-assessment can identify areas for enhancement in healthcare settings.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate safe medication practices in hospital wards.
- To assess changes in medication safety over a one-year period.
- To utilize a structured self-assessment procedure for quality improvement.
Main Methods:
- A medication safety self-assessment procedure was developed and implemented.
- The assessment involved interprofessional teams in hospital wards.
- Data were collected via an electronic survey and analyzed using descriptive statistics over two years.
Main Results:
- Participation increased from 60 wards in 2022 to 76 in 2023.
- Top practices included supervisor commitment and valid nursing licenses.
- Areas for development included staff onboarding and medication list maintenance.
- Overall implementation of practices increased from 23% to 33%.
Conclusions:
- The self-assessment effectively identified strengths and weaknesses in medication safety management.
- Significant improvements in medication safety were observed within one year.
- The procedure serves as a practical tool for continuous quality improvement in healthcare systems.
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