Medication Deaths, Essay Example

Medical errors in the health care profession are inevitable despite the best efforts by physicians and other health care practitioners.  Physicians are just like any other human beings and are prone to make mistakes. Data show that medical errors are one of the leading causes of death in the US.  They cause more deaths than even work place related injuries and some major diseases (Cohen, 2009).  It is approximated that over hundred thousand lives are lost as a result of medical errors which can be prevented.  Majority of the deaths occurring  due to errors happens occur at the hospital setting as a result of various factors including wrong diagnosis by doctors,  misinterpretation of instructions and negligence. In most cases it is the pharmacists who misinterpret the instructions and give the patient wrong medication or dosages.

Misinterpretation of instructions arises mostly due to the physician’s handwriting.   Poor handwriting is a widespread cause of medical errors which sometimes result in fatal outcomes on the patient’s part.   Handwriting errors can also lead to costly legal actions against physicians and health institutions, hence adversely affecting their stature. A report published in the Journal of the American Medical Association in 2008 found out that physicians had the worst handwriting when compared to other professionals (Bates, 2007). There is therefore need to put in place systems and measures that will ensure legible and complete prescriptions hence reducing these errors and the consequences they bring.

Several measures have been proposed in an effort to reduce adverse incidences that occur as a result of handwriting errors on the part of the physicians.  One simple proposed solution is to do away with handwritten prescriptions and introduce printed ones to reduce potential confusions that occur mostly due to misinterpretation of abbreviations. Patients and pharmacists are also encouraged to contact physicians in case to clarify any prescriptions that looks ambiguous or unusual.  Finally, use of technology through electronic prescription has been lauded as the best solution to handwriting errors (Leape, 2006).  It has been suggested that hospitals automate their drug distribution, packaging, labeling and prescription system.  All practitioners including physicians, pharmacists would be benefit if patient and drug information is integrated.

References

Bates, W, et al. (2007).  The costs of adverse drug events in hospitalized patients.  JAMA, 25(3) 307-311

Cohen, M. (2009). Medication Errors. American Pharmaceutical Association, Washington, DC.

Leape, L (2006). A systems analysis approach to medical error. J Eval Clin Pract,(3)213-222