Sometimes you get an infection and need antibiotics. Or you may take prescription medication for high blood pressure or diabetes. Other times, you may need to take prescription-strength painkillers. In any of these situations, we assume that our doctors and pharmacists have given us the right medication as we leave the drug store. Unfortunately, medication errors can happen at any pharmacy, causing serious injuries, a worsened condition or a serious illness. The following are three types of medication errors that could harm to patients in Kansas City.
Errors in the prescription itself
Sometimes a medication error is made even before it reaches the pharmacy. Doctors prescribing the medication can make mistakes in the prescription itself. For example, they may prescribe the wrong medication type or dosage, or they may prescribe a medication that should not be taken with a medication the patient takes for a pre-existing condition.
Errors in the preparation process
Generally, after a physician prescribes a medication, it goes to a pharmacy where it will be prepared and packaged. However, medication errors can be made during the preparation process. Poor hand hygiene, for example, can contaminate a medication. Mistakes on the label can also lead to medication errors.
Errors in the administration process
A typo in a prescription can cause a person to take the wrong dosage or type of medication. In addition, many prescriptions have similar sounding names, and if the prescribing physician is not careful, they could prescribe the wrong medication. Also, the prescribing physician or pharmacist could be negligent in the explanation of how to use the medication with the patient.
Learn more about medication errors
Medication errors can easily cause significant harm to a patient. When this happens, patients may want to learn more about their rights and options. This post is for educational purposes only and does not contain legal advice. Those in Kansas City who want to learn more about medication errors can explore our firm’s website for further information.
