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Posted On: April 28, 2009

Patient Safety Alert: Medication Mistakes with Injected Medicines Are Frequent

According to researchers, the results of a recent international study demonstrate that patients receiving injected medicines are at a higher risk of medication mistakes. Researchers determined that oral or written miscommunication were the root cause of 24% of all errors, and that health care workers confused drug names in 18% of the cases.

Researchers in the study observed patients in Intensive Care Units in 27 countries, including two in the United States, and found that 20% of patients experienced at least one error and 14% experienced more than one injected medication mistake. Fifteen errors caused either permanent injury or death of the patient involved.

Overall, researchers concluded that patients with more serious illness were at a higher risk for injuries caused by these mistakes. Maryland medication mistake attorneys believe that the results of this research demonstrate the importance of patients having a family member act as their advocate during an extended hospital stay. In addition to questioning doctors, the advocate should pay particular attention to the medications prescribed to the patient and attempt to make sure that health care workers administer the medications at the proper times and in proper dosages.

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Posted In: Patient Safety

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Posted On: April 27, 2009

Government Program Hopes to Reduce Medication Mistakes Across the Country

In prior posts, Maryland medication mistake attorneys have asked our readers to question their doctors before taking prescription medications. Proactive patients are better able to notice potential medication mistakes before they occur and are less likely to suffer injuries.

The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (“AHRQ”), a part of the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, has noted the substantial impact medication mistakes have on patients and the country as a whole. On itswebsite, the AHRQ quotes a report from the Institute of Medicine (“IOM”) which found that medication mistakes kill from 44,000 to 98,000 people each year. The report also indicated that medical mistakes cost the country approximately $17 billion each year in increased health care costs.

In order to help reduce medication mistakes, the AHRQ has developed a national ad campaign to encourage Americans to take a more active role in their health care by asking critical questions of their doctors, nurses, and pharmacists. The program drives home the point that Americans typically ask more questions of a cellular phone salesperson than they do of their physicians. The campaign’s website provides a top ten list of critical questions patients should ask their health care providers during appointments. Additionally, the website also has a “Question Builder” that allows readers to develop their own personalized list of questions.

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Posted In: Advances in Patient Safety , Health Care Technology , Patient Safety

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Posted On: April 21, 2009

Maryland Judge Refuses to Apply Cap on $3 Million Jury Award in Medical Mistake Case

In a prior post, the attorneys at Lebowitz & Mzhen, LLC have discussed Maryland’s statutory cap on non-economic damages and how this limitation impacts Maryland injury victims. A recent court decision, however, has drawn attention to Maryland’s limit on non-economic damages in certain medical malpractice cases.

In Semsker v. Lockshin, a jury found a Silver Spring dermatologist and his practice group liable for the death of Richard Semsker. In 2004, Dr. Lockshin’s office treated Semsker for boils on his back and conducted a full body examination for other possible skin issues. During the examination, Lockshin’s associate, Michael Albert, M.D., noted two cysts and an abnormal mole on Semsker’s lower back. Dr. Albert removed the boil and two cysts. However, the dermatologist did not excise the abnormal mole and recommended monitoring only. Over the next two years, the abnormal mole became cancerous and the cancer spread throughout Semsker’s body, and he died at the age of 47, in October 2007. The family later sued the Dr. Albert, and his practice group.

The jury awarded Semsker’s wife and children over $5.8 million in damages, including $3 million in compensation for the family’s mental anguish. Under the state’s limitation on non-economic damages, the $3 million award for pain and suffering would have been reduced to $812,500. However, Judge John W. Deblius III of Montgomery County refused to apply the cap to the Semskers’ damages award. Judge Deblius ruled that the cap did not apply to medical malpractice cases in which the parties did not first attempt arbitration.

The statutory limitation on damages, particularly in Maryland medical malpractice cases, only help insurance companies increase profits and do not make patients in Maryland safer or reduce health care costs. Maryland medication mistake attorneys hope that other Maryland judges will adopt Judge Deblius’ interpretation of the statute in order to allow medical malpractice victims to get the full and fair compensation for the injuries they sustain.

External Links
Maryland Daily Record

Associated Press

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Posted In: Jury Awards

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Jack D. Lebowitz

Vadim A. Mzhen

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