The Medication Safety Self Assessment^® for Australian Hospitals (MSSA) is designed to:

Heighten awareness of the distinguishing characteristics of a safe hospital medication system; and create a baseline of Australian hospital efforts to enhance medication safety.

The self assessment is divided into ten key elements that have been shown to significantly influence safe medication use. Each element is defined by one or more core characteristics of a safe medication system. Self assessment items are provided to help you evaluate your success with achieving each core characteristic.

The Medication Safety Self Assessment^® for Australian Hospitals is subject to copyright in the name of ISMP and has been adapted by NSW TAG with the permission of ISMP for use in the Australian health care environment. It may not be used in whole or in part for any other purpose or by any other entity except for self assessment by Australian hospitals.

ISMP and NSW TAG are not standards setting organisations. As such, the self assessment characteristics in this document are not purported to represent a minimum standard of practice and should not be considered as such. In fact some of the self assessment criteria represent innovative practices and system enhancements that are not widely implemented in most hospitals today. However, their value in reducing errors is grounded in scientific research and expert analysis of medication errors and their causes.

Medication Safety Self Assessment (MSSA) findings are intended for internal use and become even more useful as repeat assessments are performed to see where you have improved over time. Furthermore, some of the characteristics describe functionality or technology which is not readily used in most hospitals but which represent potential safety goals.

For more information on the use of the Medication Safety Self Assessment for Australian Hospitals and Medication Safety Self Assessment for Antithrombotic Therapy in Australian Hospitals please send your email enquiry to mssa@cec.health.nsw.gov.au.