First Recipients of Joint Commission Medication Compounding Certification Announced

Supporting efforts to ensure patients receive safe and high quality compounded medications, Genesys Regional Medical Center in Grand Blanc, Mich., has become the first hospital-and Home I.V. Care, Inc. in Madison Heights, Mich., has become the first home-care organization-to receive Medication Compounding Certification from the Joint Commission. The certification is based on standards from the U.S. Pharmacopeial Convention (USP®) to help compounding pharmacies ensure compliance with standards related to the process, testing and verification of compounded sterile and non-sterile preparations.

“The Joint Commission congratulates Genesys Regional Medical Center and Home I.V. Care, Inc. for being the first organizations to receive this important achievement in their fields,” said Patrick Phelan, executive director, Hospital Business Development, The Joint Commission.

“These two organizations have demonstrated commitment to strengthening their medication compounding policies and procedures to reduce risk and harm for the patients they serve,” added Margherita Labson, RN, executive director of the Home Care Accreditation Program at the Joint Commission.

Medication or pharmacy compounding is when a licensed pharmacist combines, mixes or alters ingredients to create a prescription medication tailored to the medical needs of a patient. The practice became a widespread patient safety and quality concern after a 2012 multi-state meningitis outbreak from a contaminated compounded medication. As a result, many state legislatures and boards of pharmacy began to enhance and strengthen their laws and regulations, including Michigan, where the Joint Commission piloted its certification program in response to a requirement from the state board of pharmacy for compounding pharmacies to obtain certification. The Joint Commission expects to certify more than 75 organizations in Michigan by early 2017.

To help compounding pharmacies comply with these laws and regulations, as well as to achieve optimal patient safety and quality of care in compounding practices, The Joint Commission’s Medication Compounding Certification provides states with an independent evaluation and validation of compliance with leading best practices and USP General Chapters <795> (non-sterile preparations) and <797> (sterile preparations), as well as the use and preparation of hazardous drugs, which will be addressed in the upcoming USP <800>.

“Being chosen first and meeting the Joint Commission’s standards is a great point of pride for the Genesys pharmacy team,” said Marc Guzzardo, RPh, MBA, director of pharmacy, Genesys Regional Medical Center. “Knowing that The Joint Commission completed an in-depth review of every requirement for medication compounding assures us that we are providing the highest level of quality and safety for our patients.”

“We are pleased to be the first home care organization to receive Medication Compounding Certification from The Joint Commission,” said Jeffery S. Bismack, RPh, MBA, chief executive officer and chairman, Home I.V. Care, Inc. “This recognition demonstrates our strong commitment to patient safety and quality of care for the patients we serve every day. We look forward to continuing to work with The Joint Commission, the Michigan Board of Pharmacy and other groups to further improve medication compounding practices.”

The Medication Compounding Certification program, awarded for a two-year period, launched on Jan. 1, 2017. All compounding pharmacies operating in or shipping to states with regulations that require compliance with USP General Chapters <795> and/or <797> are eligible to achieve the certification.

Source: Joint Commission