Medication errors are mistakes in prescribing, dispensing, and giving medications. These errors cause injuries to hundreds of thousands of people in America every year. The good thing is that medication errors can definitely be prevented.
Our pharmacy services in New Jersey abide by the recommended ways to prevent medication mistakes and errors. At the individual consumer level, it is always best to take an active role when it comes to medications. Be sure to learn the in-depth information about the medications you take especially with regard to possible side effects. Always ask your questions or share concerns with your doctor, pharmacist, and other healthcare providers.
Medication errors that cause harm to consumers are called preventable adverse drug events. On the other hand, if a medication error occurred but didn’t inflict any harm, it is called a potential adverse drug event. The most common causes of medication errors are poor communication between your doctors, poor communication between you and your doctors, drug names that sound alike or drugs that look alike, and medical abbreviations. Considering these causes, knowledge is your best defense. Thus, if you don’t understand something your doctor says or confusion happens, always ask for an explanation.
Healthcare providers must also follow a process, also known as medication reconciliation, to significantly decrease patients’ risk of medication errors. This is a safety strategy that involves a comparison of the list of medications healthcare providers have with the list of medications you are currently taking. Every detail will be noted and compared, even medical tools or surgical supplies used if there are any.
Never withhold health information from your doctors and healthcare providers. Avoiding medication errors needs teamwork. To know more, call EssexCare Pharmacy today! Apart from medications, we also provide medical supplies in Lodi, New Jersey.
Leave a Reply