Implementing a change in pharmacy practice is an important milestone, but it is not the end of the safety journey. In fact, it is often just the beginning. Under the Alberta College of Pharmacy’s Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI+) framework, pharmacies are expected not only to introduce improvements, but also to monitor, evaluate, and refine those […]
Medication incidents rarely happen because of a single mistake. In most community pharmacies, incidents occur when system pressures, knowledge gaps, and medication design risks collide. Across incident reporting data and CQI reviews, three contributing factors appear again and again: Understanding these factors, and addressing them within the reality of a busy pharmacy, is key to […]
Finding the Right Balance: Applying the Hierarchy of Effectiveness in Independent Pharmacies Improving patient safety in a community pharmacy is not about choosing the most effective intervention on paper. It is about choosing what is realistic, affordable, and sustainable in day-to-day practice. The Hierarchy of Effectiveness, widely used in patient safety and quality improvement, helps […]
Why Empowering the Whole Team Strengthens Patient Safety One of the most common questions we hear from community pharmacies implementing Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI+) is this: “Can non-regulated staff, such as pharmacy assistants, report incidents?” The short answer, under the Alberta College of Pharmacy (ACP) CQI+ program, is yes. In fact, enabling the entire pharmacy […]
Introduction: Why Documentation and Anonymity Matter in Pharmacy Practice Incident and close call reporting is a cornerstone of patient safety and Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI+). Yet in many community pharmacies, documentation remains inconsistent or avoided altogether. The reasons are well known to pharmacists and pharmacy managers. When documentation feels risky or burdensome, valuable learning opportunities […]
