In children with MCC admitted at our institution during the study period, no medication information source was optimally available, sensitive and specific. Admitting order medication errors affected more than half of patients, the most common being omissions. Efforts to improve medication reconciliation at hospital admission in this population must account for availability and accuracy of information sources and medication omissions at the time of hospital admission.

We conclude that PN practices that conferred a meaningful cost reduction and a lower error rate (2.7/1000 PN) than reported in the literature (15.6/1000 PN) were ascribed to the development and implementation of practices that conform to national PN guidelines and recommendations. Electronic ordering and compounding programs eliminated all transcription and related opportunities for errors.

All medications tested with acetaminophen were physically compatible except for acyclovir and diazepam. All 8 medications tested for chemical compatibility with acetaminophen were stable over the 4 hour simulated Y-site administration study.

BACKGROUND Standardization is an invaluable tool to promote safety, improve care, and decrease costs, which ultimately improves outcomes. However, a pediatric setting presents unique challenges with its wide variety of weights, medications, and needs that are distinctly different. Our goal was to develop and implement standards in complex high risk areas that show improved outcomes and safety. PROGRAM DESCRIPTION A computerized prescriber order entry program with decision support for pediatrics was developed for parenteral nutrition prescribing. The program included dosing, calculations, calcium phosphate compatibility checks, automated IV compounder interface, osmolarity route calculation, end product testing verification, aluminum exposure and many other quality improvements. This same electronic order program, interface to sterile compounders, and end product testing was used to standardize and make common non-manufactured intravenous solutions. The drip compounding process was reengineered to include standard concentrations, label changes, and beta-testing of a smart syringe pump with dosing ranges for pediatrics. Common standard oral doses were developed along with standard oral formulations. CONCLUSIONS Total parenteral nutrition (TPN) error rates decreased from 7% to less than 1% and compatibility issues decreased from 36 to 1 per year. Neonatal osteopenia rates decreased from 15% to 2%. Results from end product testing of TPN solutions were within USP standards showing statistical correlation (p<0.001). Intravenous standardization decreased error rates by 15% and compounding time decreased by 12 minutes (64%). Drip standardization allowed for drug concentration and smart pump standardization and decreased drip errors by 73% from 3.1 to 0.8 per 1000 doses. Compounding errors decreased from 0.66 to 0.16 per 1000 doses and ten-fold errors decreased from 0.41 to 0.08 per 1000 doses. Eleven oral liquids, including 329 different doses, were standardized, decreasing the number of doses to 59 (83% change). This decreased workload 15%, wastage 90%, improved turnaround time 32%, and saved $15,000/year. One hundred evidence-based standard oral formulations were developed and used in 22 different hospitals.