APhA Policy Manual

Just Culture Approach to Patient Safety

EDUCATION, CURRICULUM AND COMPETENCE FOR PHARMACY EMPLOYER/EMPLOYEE RELATIONS LICENSURE, REGISTRATION, AND REGULATION PHARMACY PRACTICE QUALITY ASSURANCE

APhA calls for employers to adopt and implement just culture principles to improve patient safety and support pharmacy personnel.
APhA encourages transparency between employers and employees by sharing deidentified medication error and near-miss data and trends as well as actions taken to promote continuous quality improvement.
APhA urges the integration of non-disciplinary and non-punitive mechanisms for use by boards of pharmacy to promote just culture principles when addressing people, systems, and processes involved in medication errors.
APhA encourages national and state associations to advocate for laws, regulations, and policies to provide protections to individuals utilizing error reporting systems to promote just culture.
APhA encourages the creation of a mechanism for an industrywide effort to engage in confidential and transparent sharing of learnings and root cause findings helpful in reducing the risk of medication errors.
APhA supports the integration of just culture principles in PharmD and pharmacy technician education, postgraduate training, and continuing professional development programs.