Last spring, we informed regulated members that a new continuous quality improvement program was in the works for pharmacy teams in Alberta. ACP is pleased to announce that program—CQI+—has officially launched.
CQI+ is a modern, person-centred, quality improvement-focused safety program for community pharmacy teams. It aims to strengthen the safety culture of pharmacy in Alberta, and builds upon key quality activities already familiar to pharmacy teams:
- documenting when practice incidents occur,
- analyzing practice incidents to identify root causes, and
- creating action plans to address risks identified through this process and prevent recurrence.
Now, with the introduction of CQI+, pharmacy teams will be further empowered to proactively identify and address vulnerabilities in the systems that support their practices, and contribute to broader learning and sharing when practice incidents or close calls do occur, empowering safety culture in pharmacy and prioritizing continuous quality improvement.
Why is continuous quality improvement important?
When a practice incident occurs in a pharmacy, it can have significant impacts on the patient as well as the individuals and organizations involved. That is why it is critical that pharmacy teams commit to the regular evaluation of their processes to proactively identify and minimize risk.
This approach is the basis of continuous quality improvement – a structured process used within a pharmacy, which allows for the ongoing review and improvement of all aspects of the delivery of care, to ensure quality and safety. It addresses quality concerns when they arise but prioritizes being proactive in assessing risk and taking action before harm can occur.
A commitment to quality improvement is nothing new for pharmacy teams. CQI+ takes this commitment a step further through a process of system-wide, anonymous reporting of practice incidents and close calls. This has become a standard across Canada.
What is CQI+?
A key component of CQI+ is the implementation of a mandatory reporting system for practice incidents and close calls.
Documenting, analyzing, and reporting practice incidents and close calls will be enabled through technology – software platforms that will allow de-identified practice incident and close call details to be shared anonymously to a national database: the National Incident Data Repository for Community Pharmacies (NIDR), which is maintained by the Institute for Safe Medication Practices (ISMP) Canada and includes contributions from pharmacies across the country. Insights gained from these collective experiences can then be used to inform proactive approaches to safety in practices throughout Canada.
Importantly, CQI+ embodies just culture; the goal is to encourage a safety culture where pharmacy team members feel supported to talk about safety and quality, which will allow regulated members to focus on learning from practice incidents and close calls in order to prevent similar occurrences in the future, and reduce the risk of harm to patients. In line with this principle. Based on these principles, CQI+ is not intended to identify, blame, or punish anyone involved in a practice incident. ACP will not have access from ISMP to any data identifying pharmacies, regulated members, or any other individuals involved in practice incidents.
What do pharmacy teams have to do?
CQI+ represents a significant evolution to current drug error management processes. Regulated members are encouraged to spend some time reviewing the Guide to CQI+: a continuous quality improvement program for pharmacy teams, as well as ACP’s CQI+ webpage. Key requirements outlined in the Guide to CQI+ include the following:
- Each pharmacy must implement an online practice incident management platform for documenting practice incidents and close calls, as well as their associated analysis and action plans. The platform must also facilitate sharing de-identified, anonymous details of these incidents with the national database. Pharmacy teams may select a platform of their choice, as long as it meets the platform requirements outlined in the Guide to CQI+.
- Pharmacies must select an online safety self-assessment tool and perform a safety self-assessment at least every two years, or within six months of a licensee change, whichever is sooner. Some practice incident management platforms may include access to a safety self-assessment tool.
- Pharmacy teams must develop site-specific policies and procedures to guide their pharmacy’s continuous quality improvement program. They must be reviewed by the licensee at least annually and updated as required.
- Pharmacy teams must complete training as outlined in the Guide to CQI+.
ACP has developed the CQI+ Quick-start checklist to help pharmacy teams understand and meet the requirements.
All requirements must be in place by February 1, 2026.
For more information about CQI+, visit our webpage, which includes access to the Guide to CQI+, a Q & A document, the CQI+ Quick-start checklist, and links to other important resources. Also, keep an eye on your inbox and future editions of The Link for more guidance to support you and your team through your continuous quality improvement journey.
