Pharmacist Professional Liability Exposure Claim Report: 3rd Edition

Key findings include:

• $20 million paid for pharmacist malpractice claims over the 6-year study period.
• $136,000 average malpractice claim cost, up from $132,185 in the 2018 dataset, a 2.9% increase.
• $7,650 average cost of a license defense matter, up from $5,349 in the 2018 dataset, an increase of more than 43%.
• Approximately 70% of license protection matters led to some type of Board action against a pharmacist’s license.
• Claims associated with compounding pharmacies tend to be some of the most severe as compared to other pharmacy types, with an average total incurred of $438,221.
• Wrong dose/strength claims remain the second highest percentage of all claims by allegation. The category also reflected a 46 percent increase in average total incurred from $49,901 to $72,972.

Risk Control Spotlights:

• Defending Your License
• Documentation
• Safety Culture
• De-escalation and Crisis Management 
• Policies and Procedures - Coming soon!
• Vaccination Safety - Coming soon!
• Workplace Issues and Well-Being - Coming soon!

Additional resources:

• U.S. FDA Drug Safety Information (FDA)
  • MedWatch: The FDA Safety Information and Adverse Event Reporting Program (FDA)
  • Human Drug Compounding (FDA) 
  • Compounding Questions and Answers (FDA)
• American Pharmacists Association (APhA) 
  • Pharmacy News: Medication Safety (APhA) 
  • Compounding Resources (APhA)
• Institute for Safe Medication Practices (ISMP)
  • Medication Safety Self-Assessments (ISMP)
  • Guidelines for Sterile Compounding and the Safe Use of Sterile Compounding Technology (ISMP) 
  • Targeted Medication Safety Best Practices
    • For Community Pharmacy (ISMP) 
    • For Hospitals (ISMP) 
  • High-Alert Medications
    • In Community/Ambulatory Care Settings (ISMP) 
    • In Long-Term Care (LTC) Settings (ISMP)
    • Learning Guides for Consumers (ISMP) 
    • Risk-Reductions Strategies Associated with High-Alert Medication List (ISMP)
  • List of Error-Prone Abbreviations, Symbols, and Dose Designations (ISMP) 
  • Look-Alike Drug Names with Recommended Tall Man (Mixed Case) Letters (ISMP & FDA) 
  • Adopt Strategies to Manage Look-Alike and/or Sound-Alike Medication Name Mix-Ups (ISMP) 
• Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) 
• AHRQ's Patient Safety Network (PSNet) 
• U.S. Pharmacopeia (USP)
• Pharmacists Recovery Network (USAPRN)

Archive:

• Pharmacist Liability Claim Report: 2nd Edition