The Most Common Types of Medication Errors

When you go to the doctor and he/she prescribes you medication for your ailment, you expect that medication to help ease your medical issues. But what if the medication does the opposite? Instead of getting better, you get worse and worse. The next thing you know, you’re going to the emergency room for an injury that could have been prevented if you were given the right prescription.

Approximately 1.3 million people are injured annually because of medication errors. Since 2000, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has received more than 95,000 reports of medication errors. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimate that on a yearly basis, 700,000 emergency department visits and 120,000 hospitalizations are because of adverse drug events. This number is expected to grow thanks to the new medication being developed, new uses for older medication, and an increase in prescription drug use for disease prevention.

Fortunately, medication errors can be prevented. But how? The best way to stay safe is to be prepared and that’s by recognizing what the most common types of medication errors there are:

• Poor communication between healthcare providers. For instance, your doctor recommends that you take a certain medication. However, the nurse informs your pharmacist of the wrong drug when calling in your prescription.
• Poor communication between your provider and you. Perhaps you misunderstood how often you’re supposed to take the drug. Or maybe your physician fails to tell you that you only need the prescription for a certain period of time.
• A mixup with the medication name or abbreviation. Many medication names sound very similar and it’s easy to get them mixed up.

The best way to prevent a medical error such as this one is to stay on top of your health care. Be your own advocate. Question your doctor’s prescription and make sure you understand what the medication is its side effects, and if there are any adverse reactions to any other medication you’re taking.

If you are injured because of a medication error in New Jersey, you do have the right to file a claim against your healthcare provider. Let us help you. Contact the Law Offices of Anthony Carbone today for a free consultation.