Purdue develops statewide network to enhance medication safety
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - Purdue University is bringing together community pharmacies and researchers from across the state to better prevent, detect and manage adverse drug events.
Margie Snyder
The Purdue College of Pharmacy's Center for Medication Safety Advancement is inviting Indiana pharmacies to join the Medication Safety Research Network of Indiana, or Rx-SafeNet, the first practice-based research network in Indiana focusing on medication-related problems and patient care at community pharmacies, said Margie Snyder, director of the network and assistant professor of pharmacy practice.
"This network provides community pharmacists with the opportunity to direct the focus of research conducted in Rx-SafeNet to solve problems they face every day and allow them to provide the best possible care to patients," said Snyder, who also is co-director of the Center for Medication Safety Advancement. "By partnering Purdue's researchers with clinicians who know what is feasible in the workflow of a busy pharmacy, we have the ideal group to design methods to reduce adverse drug events by avoiding medication errors, misuse and other medication-related problems experienced by patients."
Purdue researchers and pharmacists will partner to pinpoint the most pressing issues, develop solutions and test new technologies, services and protocols that make it easier for both the pharmacist and the patient to improve medication safety.
There are approximately 1,100 community pharmacies in Indiana, and the network also will allow them to benefit from each other through the sharing of ideas and the most effective practices, she said.
"We believe this network is the ideal forum for translating research findings directly into practice," Snyder said. "By partnering with practicing pharmacists from the start, we can perform research that meets their needs, which translates into a better quality of treatment and reduced medical expenses for the patients of Indiana."
According to the most recent report from the Institute of Medicine of the National Academies, it is estimated that medication errors alone harm more than 1.5 million people each year and lead to extra medical expenses of more than $3.5 billion.
Membership in Rx-SafeNet is open to all community pharmacies in Indiana, and information sessions were held at locations throughout the state. More information is available at https://www.pharmacy.purdue.edu/cmsa/rx-safenet.php
Patty Elsner, a pharmacist in Lebanon, Ind., and member of the network's advisory board, said the network would help identify key factors affecting medication safety in the community pharmacy setting.
"Rx Safe Net is an excellent opportunity for all Indiana pharmacists to work together to identify the key factors affecting medication safety and find possible solutions for incorporation into pharmacy practice," Elsner said. "The ultimate goal is to make medications safer and more effective for the patients we serve."
Part of a $25 million grant from the Lilly Endowment Inc. is funding the Center for Medication Safety Advancement and the administration of this network. Purdue's College of Pharmacy received the award in 2006 to support efforts to advance medication safety in Indiana.
Writer: Elizabeth K. Gardner, 765-494-2081, ekgardner@purdue.edu
Sources: Margie Snyder, 317-613-2315, ext. 338, snyderme@purdue.edu
Patty Elsner, 765-543-9963, pmelsner9@gmail.com