Elimination of Error-prone Medical Abbreviations

The Institute for Safe Medication Practices and U.S. Food and Drug Administration are preparing to launch an educational campaign aimed at eliminating the use of ambiguous and potentially harmful medical abbreviations, ISMP announced yesterday. Slated to begin in the first half of 2006, the campaign will recommend health care professionals reference the ISMP’s list of error-prone abbreviations, symbols and dose designations (in PDF format) whenever they communicate medical information. The campaign will include print and online educational materials targeted at health care professionals and others.