Reducing medication errors: redesigning the medication admin process.
Kaiser Permanente MedRite is one example of an extremely effective yet low-cost protocol developed at the center. It involves three simple procedures to make medication delivery safer:
Step-by-step workflow — consistent protocol for administering medications
“No interruption” wear — sash or vest a nurse wears while preparing and administering drugs that signals others to not interrupt
Sacred zones — clearly outlined “do not disturb” areas where nurses prepare medications to be administered
Since its launch, KP MedRite has been implemented in most of Kaiser Permanente hospitals and adopted by outside health care agencies, such as UCSF. And the program has been recognized by the Institute for Healthcare Improvement and Harvard Business Review for its popularity as a low-tech, high-return investment in innovation.
Adopting KP MedRite resulted in:
50% reduction in the number of staff interruptions
15% faster medication administration
18% increase in on-time medication administration
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Kaiser Permanentes’ Innovation Consultancy
Role: Research + Design Co-Lead -
#1 - Reduce the number of medication administration related errors.
#2 - Increase patient safety.
#3 - Increase nurse satisfaction. -
How might we create safer ways for nurses to deliver and administer their patients’ medications?
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50% reduction in the number of staff interruptions.
15% faster medication administration.
18% increase in on-time medication administration. -
Innovation on the Frontl
Image drawn by a nurse during research phase
Analogous Research: Visiting Flight School to learn about their safety process
Testing out various "no-interruption" prototypes
Prototype: Vest being tested out
Nurse wearing solution during metrics collection
Nurse wearing solution during metrics collection