How many errors do you make each day? Research suggests that regardless of the activity or task being conducted, humans make between 3-6 errors per hour! And even though that number is likely lower in settings like a veterinary practice, where excellence is emphasized, mistakes happen. It’s impossible not to look back at certain actions, diagnoses or decisions and wish they were different. But within the group of total errors that do occur, while some are impossible to prevent, others are preventable. And medication errors often fall into the preventable category. It takes effective protocols and processes to approach medication safety perfection. This post details common errors, why they happen, what to do if one does occur and concludes with 6 ways to reduce veterinary medication errors in your practice.

For most of the 67% of U.S. households or nearly 85 million families that have pets, their health is a high priority. And beyond regular check-ups, vaccines and medications that treat the common ailments their pet may confront, pet care often includes managing chronic conditions like arthritis and gum disease, especially with life spans increasing. This combination of factors contribute to the amount of medications pet owners purchase each year. In fact, in a 2019 survey among dog and cat owners who had taken their pet to the veterinarian in the past 12 months, 78% of dog owners and 62% of cat owners purchased pet medications. In addition, over 60% spent more than $100. Unfortunately, as the amount of medications dispensed increases, so do medication errors. This makes effective communication, starting with the veterinary prescription labels, even more important.

In the 1970s, Japanese automakers overtook their U.S. counterparts largely due to a focus on quality. Taking human interaction out of numerous processes enhanced the reliability of the automobile and catapulted them into a dominant share of the market. Unfortunately, healthcare organizations don’t have that same luxury. As hospitals and patient care organizations tackle quality and patient safety, the human element remains an essential part of the process.

With more than 4,000 labels that serve the needs of healthcare organizations, veterinary practices, manufacturers, distributors, professional services, and more, the United Ad Label catalog is more than just a listing of products. It’s a resource that you can use as a reference tool, to compare product options, answer common questions and save money.

Companies like UAL stock hundreds of items designed for the unique applications found in healthcare, veterinary practices, manufacturing and distribution operations and more. But, when you need an item with your logo, contact information, a unique color or format or there just isn’t a stock label that meets your needs, it requires a custom label. And when that happens, what is your best option? When is it cost effective to use an outside source versus your own desktop printer to produce a custom label?

Although sterile compounding standards have been in place for two decades, a recent ISPM study found gaps in how organizations handled and processed those drugs. With errors ranging from an incorrect dose or concentration to incorrectly labeling the CSP, only 56% of those surveyed reported that they defined and always followed SOPs.

Communication is at the heart of providing high-quality medical care for pets at any practice. Plus, with COVID-19 safety concerns changing office workflows, it is essential to protecting your staff and clients. And although verbal communications are typically the most effective, that’s not always possible. So when it isn’t, veterinary labels can enhance your guidance. Here’s how they improve your ability to communicate with clients, their pets and your staff.

With 44 million vaccines administered and numbers trending steadily upward, the COVID-19 vaccination process is starting to kick into high gear. And with each vaccination administered there are lessons learned that can serve as process improvement opportunities to ensure a better experience for future recipients. Here are six COVID-19 vaccine administration errors that providers encountered, and process improvement steps that you can take to ensure vaccine efficacy and patient safety.

Medication without harm. Because the purpose of prescribing medication is to cure, halt, or prevent disease or ease symptoms, it seems like an obvious statement. Yet medication errors occur with thousands of patients each year in both inpatient and ambulatory settings. Further, the National Academy of Medicine estimates that 7,000 deaths occur annually due to preventable medication errors. Effective medication labeling is one way to combat adverse drug events. United Ad Label carries an extensive selection of anesthesia labels and flag labels for vials and syringes that help healthcare workers with effective medication dispensing.

400 million COVID-19 vaccine doses are on order and more are needed to accommodate the 329 million people in the U.S. As if the vaccination process wasn’t already complex, the sheer magnitude of vaccinating hundreds of millions of people in a condensed time frame creates numerous challenges for healthcare providers. For example, with vaccines administered in facilities ranging from a physician’s office to a community building, the complexity of maintaining proper protocols increase. Use these COVID-19 vaccine administration steps to help you manage the process.