Virginia Medical Malpractice Blog - Williamson & Lavecchia, L.C.

Medication Errors Lead to 18 Million Emergency Room Visits

"A recent study estimated that in one year, incorrect use of medications resulted in more than 9 million hospital admissions and more than 18 million emergency room visits." 

That quote is not coming from a lawyer, but from the non-profit Institute for Safe Medication Practices.  The Institute for Safe Medication Practices seeks to assist doctors, nurses, and pharmacists in reducing medication errors.  Even if you are not a health care provider, its information can help you protect yourself from the serious and potentially deadly consequences of medication errors.  The website contains a very valuable brochure to assist patients in being proactive to prevent medication errors.

Their website lays out the seriousness of the problem.  For example, doctors and nurses often use abbreviations to save time.  Too often the abbreviations are confusing and can lead to dangerous medication errors: "HS" means half-strength which can easily be confused with "hs" meaning at bedtime.  Likewise, "q1d" means daily, while "q.i.d." means four times per day.    The simple solution: write out the word "daily" instead of q1d.  That only requires 2 more characters, but it could save a life.

If you or a loved one has been injured as a consequence of a medication error by a pharmacist, doctor, or nurse, please contact us to discuss your legal rights.

Regards,

Josh Silverman

Labels: Institute for Safe Medication Practices lawyer in virginia medical abbreviation medical malpractice Medication error pharmacy error