Medication Errors at Hospitals and Nursing Homes
Medication Errors Are Common, Government Report Finds
WASHINGTON, DC — July 28, 2006 — Nationwide, over 1.5 million people per year are victims of serious medication errors, according to a new report by the Institute of Medicine (IOM). These mistakes take place at hospitals, nursing homes and outpatient clinics. They may involve giving the wrong medication, providing an incorrect dosage or overlooking dangerous drug interactions. Nursing homes are the greatest offenders, with about 800,000 incidents annually.
The 1.5 million figure is likely to be an underestimate, as some incidents go unreported. Also, it does not include errors of omission—failures to prescribe medicines that would reduce death rates and suffering. Some doctors neglected to prescribe useful medicines for patients with heart failure, chronic heart disease, and atrial fibrillation (abnormal heartbeat of the upper chambers of the heart). Some failed to prescribe necessary antibiotics, especially in hospital settings.
The IOM states that about 25 percent of medication errors can be prevented. It suggests that hospitals use computerized order entries and have a good clinical decision support system. Involving pharmacists in the management of nursing home patients may also prove helpful.
The IOM makes the following recommendations for consumers and health care providers:
- Both patients and health care providers must be made aware of patients’ rights, including the right to accept or reject a medication and to know about its effects. Patients’ rights regarding safety and quality in health care should be formalized at the state and federal levels.
- Health care providers should keep up–to–date records of a patient’s drug allergies and of his or her use of prescription drugs, over–the–counter drugs, and dietary supplements. Patients should also keep these records.
- Health care providers should routinely review the patient’s medication list, especially if the patient is transferring from a nursing home to a hospital or being released from a hospital.
- By 2008, health care providers should develop a plan for electronic prescribing of medications. The plan should be in place by 2010.
The Role of Government Agencies
Government agencies such as the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services can play a major role in improving the health care system and minimizing medical errors, the IOM found. Activities would include standardizing and improving medical information leaflets provided by pharmacies, improving online medication resources, and establishing a national drug information hotline. A national plan should be developed to distribute and promote medication safety information.
The IOM suggested that the FDA produce guideline documents concerning drug labeling and packaging. It also recommended that the federal Agency for Health Care Research and Quality report on whether the practice of providing free prescription drug samples to doctors is harmful to patients.
Your Medical Case
At Brayton Purcell, we are concerned about the harm caused by medical mistakes made in prescribing and delivering prescription medications. If you or a family member has been injured due to a medical error, please contact us for a free review of your situation. We will evaluate your potential case free of charge and can advise you of your legal options.
