Drug errors I can just see it now: the pharmacist squinting in an attempt to decipher the chicken scratch on the prescription you've just handed him. Is that 10 milligrams or 10 micrograms? Premarin (a hormone) or Primaxin (an antibiotic)?
That scenario certainly doesn't inspire a lot of confidence, but sad to say, it's something that happens every single day. Did the pharmacist guess correctly? Your guess is as good as mine.
On average, a hospitalized patient is likely to be subjected to one medication error per day. That could mean the wrong dosage, the wrong method of administering the drug, a bad interaction with another drug, or even the wrong drug itself.
A report by the Institute of Medicine, a branch of the National Academy of Sciences, says that more than 1.5 million people each year are harmed by drug errors that occur in hospitals, nursing homes, and doctors' offices. But it doesn't have to be that way. Most of these could be prevented if more steps were implemented to increase patient safety.
Too many of these errors start with poor penmanship. But if prescriptions were written electronically, which the Institute wants to see happen by 2010, prescriptions could be run through a central database, flashing an alert if the dosage seems too high or if the drug is in conflict with another one the patient is taking. E-prescribing could link computer programs used by doctors, hospitals, and drug stores. Unfortunately, the healthcare industry is dragging its feet, saying the cost of the technology is too high.
So for now, to ensure your own safety you have to be your own watchdog. Question your doctor, nurse, or pharmacist about what you've been prescribed. And be sure to tell your doctor or natural medicine specialist what supplements or medications you're already taking. Also, be especially wary if you are given a free sample of medication since some lack proper safety labeling. Source: "Report finds drug errors hurt 1.5 million," Yahoonews.com, 7/24/06 |
