Northwest Physicians Insurance Company
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Medication
Errors
In
1998, more than 2.5 billion prescriptions were filled in the United
States. Approximately $100 billion is
spent on prescriptions each year, with nearly half of all Americans taking
prescription drugs. With exposure to
prescription medications so high, it is no surprise that many studies cite the
use of medications as the leading cause of medical injury. Data from the Physician Insurers Association
of America (PIAA) reveals medication errors are the third most prevalent cause
of malpractice claims. In that regard,
the PIAA has provided the following Risk Management Recommendations:
1) Handwritten prescriptions must be legible
and complete
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Avoid abbreviations
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Double check name and spelling of prescribed drug
2) Educate patients regarding the importance of
compliance
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Review reason for prescription, side effects, dosage
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Discuss use of complementary medications
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Allow time for questions
3) Double check medication prior to
administration
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Check dosage, route and form
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Check generic and trade names
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Confirm appropriate reason for use
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Check for known allergies
4) Make full use of all technology available to
avoid errors
5) Use the resources on the Internet
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Expand knowledge of medications
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Learn about recalls and new medications
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Caution patients about pitfalls of ordering online
6) Contribute to group efforts in promoting
safety
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Openly discuss problems
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Offer suggestions for solutions
7) Take care when prescribing drugs with
similar names
8) Devise a system to monitor patients on
long-term medication
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Side effects
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Need for continued therapy
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Appropriate drug levels Reducing medication errors can make a major impact on improving patient safety and we urge you to incorporate the above recommendations into your practice.
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Phone:
503-371-8228 or 1-800-243-3503 |