PLYMOUTH MEETING, PA—ECRI, a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving patient safety, and its affiliate, the Institute for Safe Medication Practices (ISMP), are proud to join leaders around the globe in supporting World Patient Safety Day on September 17, 2020.

This year’s theme is Health Worker Safety: A Priority for Patient Safety. For ECRI and ISMP, two internationally respected safety organizations, this means recognizing the critical role that health providers and pharmacists play in ensuring the safety of patients across all care settings, especially now during the coronavirus pandemic. More than 1,800 health workers across 64 countries have died from COVID-19.

To honor and support health workers, ECRI launched a World Patient Safety Day website offering free and shareable content in four categories: COVID-19 Personal Protective Equipment; Infection Prevention; Medication Safety; and Worker Safety, Health and Wellness. The site includes an I Speak Up for Health Workers video produced in conjunction with ECRI and ISMP staff located in the United States, Europe, Middle East, and Asia Pacific.

“Day in and day out, ECRI and our affiliate, ISMP, provide trusted, evidence-based resources to help healthcare leaders and clinicians provide safe, high-quality patient care,” says ECRI president and CEO Marcus Schabacker, MD, PhD. “On World Patient Safety Day 2020, we extend special thanks to all health workers for their brave and selfless care of COVID-19 patients. We are truly indebted to these healthcare heroes.”

An important part of ECRI’s mission involves testing and evaluating medical devices, including personal protective equipment, providing infection control, patient safety, and medication safety guidance, and delivering trusted evidence-based resources to help clinical and supply chain staff do their jobs effectively. In February 2020, ECRI launched a free COVID-19 Resource Center with essential information for the public and healthcare community.

ISMP serves as a vital force for preventing medication errors and driving change in medical practice and pharmaceutical products. They offered free newsletters on COVID-19 medication safety and an online resource center. ISMP is also participating in World Patient Safety Day recognition efforts with the International Medication Safety Network (IMSN) and the International Society of Pharmcovigilance (ISoP).

For more information and resources to help improve patient and medication safety, visit www.ecri.org and www.ismp.org. Follow us on @ECRI_Org and @ISMP1 and tag related stories to #worldpatientsafetyday.

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.@ECRI_Org & @ISMP1 join global leaders in supporting #WorldPatientSafetyDay, Sept 17 w/ free resources & “Speak Up” video

About ECRI
ECRI is an independent, nonprofit organization improving the safety, quality, and cost-effectiveness of care across all healthcare settings. With a focus on patient safety, evidence-based medicine, and health technology decision solutions, ECRI is respected and trusted by healthcare leaders and agencies worldwide. Over the past fifty years, ECRI has built its reputation on integrity and disciplined rigor, with an unwavering commitment to independence and strict conflict-of-interest rules.

ECRI is the only organization worldwide to conduct independent medical device evaluations, with labs located in North America and Asia Pacific. ECRI is designated an Evidence-based Practice Center by the U.S. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. ECRI and the Institute for Safe Medication Practices PSO is a federally certified Patient Safety Organization as designated by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The Institute for Safe Medication Practices (ISMP) formally became an ECRI Affiliate in 2020.

Visit www.ecri.org and follow @ECRI_Org to learn more.

About the Institute for Safe Medication Practices
The Institute for Safe Medication Practices (ISMP) is the only 501c (3) nonprofit organization devoted entirely to preventing medication errors. ISMP is known and respected as the gold standard for medication safety information. For more than 25 years, it also has served as a vital force for progress. ISMP’s advocacy work alone has resulted in numerous necessary changes in clinical practice, public policy, and drug labeling and packaging. Among its many initiatives, ISMP runs the only national voluntary practitioner medication error reporting program, publishes newsletters with real-time error information read and trusted throughout the global healthcare community, and offers a wide range of unique educational programs, tools, and guidelines.

In 2020, ISMP formally affiliated with ECRI, and ECRI and the Institute for Safe Medication Practices PSO is a federally certified Patient Safety Organization by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. As a watchdog organization, ISMP receives no advertising revenue and depends entirely on charitable donations, educational grants, newsletter subscriptions, and volunteer efforts to pursue its life-saving work.

Visit www.ismp.org and follow @ismp1 to learn more.

For more information, contact:
Laurie Menyo, Director of Strategic Communications
(610) 825-6000, ext. 5310
lmenyo@ecri.org