Patients in Atlanta hospitals can be given any number of drug combinations to deal with multiple issues. Some medications, safe and effective alone, can have dangerous consequences as drug combinations. Also, an important area of Medical Malpractice is plain pharmacy error. Sometimes pharmacists put the wrong pills in the bottle. Other times, the prescription is written wrong by the prescribing doctor and then filled by the pharmacist who did not catch the mistake. Obviously, this can also have disastrous consequences.
News RX reports that a study released in the Critical Care Medicine Journal has found including an on-ward pharmacist on the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) team significantly reduced prescription error and related patient harms. The study was instituted by J.E. Klopotowska of the University of New Amsterdam. As an Atlanta pharmacy error lawyer, I can see the direct benefits that can be derived from having a pharmacist in the ICU or ER areas. After all, the most common caused of medical malpractice and pharmacy error is a lack of communication between the different providers who are rendering care to the patient. In this particular case, the lack of proper communication (and double-checking that is often essential to the correct care) between the prescribing doctor and the pharmacist that fills the prescription, leads to dangerous consequences in the form of prescription error. Some of these errors are harmless, while others can be deadly.
When hospital staff fail to care for patients appropriately, illness and injuries can get worse instead of better. When a pharmacist messes up your prescription, you have no way to know or protect yourself from reactions to the wrong drug. If you have been the victim of pharmacy error, immediately stop taking the medication and contact your health care provider. Many times, you will be directed to report to the emergency room so that you can be properly treated. In these situations, the old adage is true: better safe than sorry. No where is this more true than when it comes to your health.
Robert J. Fleming is an experienced Atlanta Injury lawyer who has handled many cases involving medical malpractice and pharmacy error. Please call us today if you would like to speak with an experienced attorney about a bad hospital experience.
Robert J. Fleming has been handling wrongful death cases, dental malpractice, bus accidents, car accident cases and premises injury cases for individuals and families who have been harmed, injured or died as a result of the carelessness or negligence of another for more than 20 years. He practices in and around the Atlanta, Georgia area including handling lawsuits in Fulton, DeKalb, Clayton, Gwinnett, Cobb and other counties and nearby cities including Alpharetta, Austell, Avondale Estates, Chamblee, College Park, Conyers, Duluth, Decatur, Doraville, Hapeville, Johns Creek, Jonesboro, Lawrenceville, Norcross, Peachtree City, Riverdale, Roswell, Sandy Springs, Stone Mountain, and Smyrna. If you have been seriously by a prescription error and would like discuss your case, contact Robert J. Fleming directly on (404) 525-5150 or contact us online.
Source: New Critical Care Medicine Data Have Been Reported by Scientists at University of Amsterdam, Obesity, Fitness & Wellness Week via NewsRx.com, 2011