Medication plays a crucial role in helping patients deal with a range of medical conditions and illnesses. However, errors can occur during the prescribing, dispensing, or administration of medications. In many cases these mistakes can cause significant harm or reduce the efficiency of a treatment. Understanding common prescription errors helps patients take an active role in their healthcare and stay safe. If you believe you’ve been the victim of a medication error, contact an experienced medical malpractice attorney in Philadelphia for assistance.
What is a Medication Error?
A medication error occurs when a mistake is made at some stage of the prescription process, putting the patient’s health at risk. An error can be as simple as a misinterpretation of a doctor’s written note or as complex as a patient being given the wrong medication entirely. Even if an error does not end up harming a patient, it is vital that mistakes be recognized and promptly addressed to prevent future issues. Raising awareness of prescription errors is a crucial step toward minimizing their occurrence and promoting patient safety.
Errors at the Prescribing Stage
In many cases, the first mistake occurs during the initial prescription process. A simple miscommunication between medical professionals or hard-to-read handwriting can cause a patient to receive an incorrect dosage or even the wrong medication entirely. A doctor may even accidentally prescribe the wrong frequency of use for a medication, leading to a patient suffering from an under- or overdose. Patients can experience ineffective treatments or fatal side effects from significant dosage or frequency errors.
Errors During Dispensing
Pharmacies play a vital role in ensuring that medication is provided to patients clearly and with proper explanations. However, inadequate protocols or human errors can cause many significant problems. Pharmacy staff may misinterpret an order, particularly for medications with similar names. Labeling errors or miscommunications can also cause patients to receive medications of an incorrect strength. Improper packaging, such as unclear patient instructions or missing expiration dates, can also cause problems.
What Are Medical Administration Errors?
Medication administration errors happen when patients take their meds incorrectly or don’t adhere to instructions. Errors can also happen during administration by healthcare providers. A medical practitioner may accidentally give medication to the wrong patient, using an incorrect route of administration (e.g., injecting a medication that should be taken orally), or fail to record that a patient has received their most recent dose.
How Can Prescription Errors Be Prevented?
Several strategies can help minimize the risk of prescription medication errors. First and foremost, healthcare institutions should focus on encouraging efficient communication between doctors, nurses, hospital staff, pharmacists, and patients. When a patient has a question about their care, it should be answered quickly and correctly. As a patient, you should be an active participant in your care by voicing concerns and asking questions.
Medication reconciliation is another crucial safety measure. With medication reconciliation, a patient’s medication list is compared across healthcare settings. This helps prevent serious errors from occurring, such as a patient being prescribed a medication they are allergic to due to a lack of recordkeeping.
Patients should be given the tools and knowledge they need to make informed decisions regarding their health. Doctors and pharmacists should strive to ensure that their patients understand prescribed medical regimes, what medications do, what possible side effects exist, and how the treatment is administered. As a patient, you should always feel able to ask questions about your treatment plan without fear of judgment.
By working together, healthcare providers, pharmacists, and patients can carry out treatment plans with significantly reduced risk of errors. By understanding the causes of prescription errors and taking steps to reduce or eliminate them, patients can enjoy quality healthcare and treatments that are effective as possible.
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