Articles Posted in Health Care Technology

Maryland medication errors can occur due to a number of issues in the process of prescribing, ordering, preparing, and administering medication. These issues may include errors in the process of prescribing a medication due to the medication type, dosage, or based on the patient’s history due to an adverse interaction with another medication or a preexisting condition. Issues can also occur in the process of ordering the medication based on an unclear prescription, such as confusion over the dosage or quantity. There can also be errors in preparing and packaging the medication due to contamination, similar medication names. Even if everything is done correctly, a correct prescription and medication may be given to the wrong patient.

An article was recently released concerning inpatient pharmacy errors and the work being done to try to mitigate the occurrence of medication order errors in that setting. According to the article, “Medication order errors are a significant, and preventable, public health problem.” The article went on the say that although the use of electronic health records had reduced medication order errors, at the same time they electronic records have introduced new sources of error having to do with the interaction between the healthcare provider and the system. Researchers explained that incoming pharmacy orders should be reviewed by hospital-based clinical pharmacists, but the ordering of medications can be impacted by alert fatigue, which can lead to medical errors. Researchers are attempting to address these issues by developing a machine that can identify medication orders that require pharmacy intervention based on clinician data instead of relying on patients’ medical records. They hope that the technology can decrease the workload of pharmacists and improve patient safety.

If someone suffers an injury due to a medication error, the patient may be able to recover financial compensation by filing a lawsuit against the parties responsible for the error. The patient would have to show that the defendant had a duty of care to the patient, that the defendant acted wrongfully by acting or failing to act in some way, the defendant caused the patient harm due to the wrongful act, and the patient suffered damages. In general, such cases must be filed within three years of the date of the injury, so meeting with an experienced attorney as soon as possible is important. Expert testimony is often required in such cases to prove how the wrongful act failed to meet the standard of care required and how that impacted the victim.

Despite efforts to reduce medication errors in pharmacies and other medical settings, medication errors continue to occur all too frequently. If a person suffers an injury due to a medication error in Maryland, they may be able to obtain monetary compensation through a Maryland medication error lawsuit. Generally, a medication error lawsuit is based on a claim that the prescribing physician, pharmacist, or another medical professional acted negligently.

In a negligent suit, the plaintiff has to prove that the defendant owed the plaintiff a duty of care, that the defendant failed to meet the applicable standard of care by acting or failing to act in some way, that the plaintiff was injured because of the breach of the standard of care, and that the defendant’s breach caused the plaintiff’s injuries. A plaintiff must show that it was more likely than not that the defendant’s conduct caused the victim’s injuries. Medication error cases may be difficult to prove, in part because the patient may have been sick before the medication error. For that reason, expert testimony is often required to explain how the defendant’s actions caused the plaintiff’s alleged injuries.

Successful plaintiffs may be able to recover monetary compensation, including past and future medical expenses, lost wages, physical therapy bills, and emotional suffering. If someone dies due to a medication error, family members of the decedent may be able to file a wrongful death claim against the parties responsible for the medication error. Negligence claims are subject to time limits for filing a claim. The general time limit that applies to Maryland negligence claims is three years after the date of the injury, though there are exceptions. If the time limit has passed, the case may no longer be able to be filed. Evidence can also disappear after some time, so acting as quickly as possible is best. The prevalence of medication errors and the devastation it can cause has prompted new efforts to reduce such mistakes, including the introduction of a new technology that uses barcode scans on medications.

When most people think of prescriptions, they think about their monthly trip to the pharmacy to pick up their medication. However, a large portion of the prescriptions written and filled each year in the United States originate and are delivered in hospitals. Each year, there are thousands of instances when a prescription is delivered in error to a patient at their bedside while in a hospital. For several years now, those involved in the health care industry have been searching for safer ways of delivering medication to patients.

According to a health care industry news source, some hospitals are implementing a new technology when delivering medication to their patients. The technology is called radio frequency identification (RFID), and it is what is used in drive-through toll booths that have become popular in recent years. The technology allows for a “proximity scan” to pick up information that is held in computer chips, called RFID chips. These RFID chips can hold all kinds of information, including a patient’s required prescriptions as well as their frequency and dose.

One of the hospital executives behind the push for the use of RFID chips explained to reporters that when humans are involved, there is always the potential for error. With the increasing use of technology, it is hoped that the instances of prescription drug errors will drop in the coming years.

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It seems that there really is an app for everything. In a recent article by DNA India, a new app is on the market targeted towards Indian physicians. The app, called Safe RX, is a way for doctors to put in prescriptions for patients that ensure the prescriptions are legible. In addition, the app automatically can translate the prescription into 14 different languages, further decreasing any chance of confusion.

With the incidents of prescription error at an all-time high, apps like this one aim to fill a gap where oversight is minimal.

In addition to the safety aspects of the app, it will also automatically recommend generic equivalent for brand name prescriptions. This should help to keep medical costs down for people without insurance.

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