The fact that you even have to consider preventing a medication error on your own indicates a real problem in the medical industry. You should be able to trust that the medical personnel (doctors, nurses and others) have your best interests in mind and will diligently work to make sure that an error of any kind doesn’t happen.
Even though many who work in the medical field do just that, they are human, and even the personnel with the best intentions can make medication mistakes. Others simply fail to meet the required standard of care or negligently handle your health care needs.
What causes medication mistakes?
The most common mistakes surround a lack of adequate communication. Whether a miscommunication or poor communication occurs between you and your doctor, or between doctors and other medical staff, you could be the one to pay the price. Moreover, many medications have similar names, and it’s possible that someone could misread the prescription. It is also possible to misinterpret medical abbreviations.
What specific medication mistakes can happen?
The following list includes medication mistakes that could result in you suffering significant harm:
- Dosage errors
- Drug interactions
- Prescription errors
If you have any doubts or questions about the above potential errors, don’t hesitate to speak up. Getting the attention of the doctors and nurses involved in prescribing and dispensing medication to you could save you a lot of trouble. However, no medical personnel should expect you to take responsibility for an error. It is their job to get it right.
What happens if you suffer injury due to a medication mistake?
Thousands of people in the United States die each year due to medication errors, and thousands more suffer harm due to these types of mistakes. Inattention to detail, the failure of medical staff or pharmacists to question puzzling medication orders or any other issue may be behind the injuries you suffered. In order to know for sure, you may need to conduct an investigation.
If that inquiry reveals that an error may have occurred, you may wonder what steps to take next. Medical malpractice claims can be complex and often require the opinion of a medical expert. They can take a significant amount of time as well. However, these issues should not keep you from at least sitting down with an Indiana medical malpractice attorney to gain an understanding of your rights and an opinion regarding the prospects of filing a claim.