medication errors

In an age where breakthrough drugs are constantly being developed and discovered, popping a pill or two often seems to be the most sensible solution to any malady. Many physicians and nurse practitioners (prescribers) are quick to prescribe multiple pharmaceutical drugs to solve or reduce the health issues faced by their patients–and the patients, of course, are eager to take them. It is undeniable that prescriptions are helpful in numerous medical situations, but it cannot be ignored that millions of these prescriptions are given in the wrong context. The reliance of prescribers and patients on prescription drugs often leads physicians to overprescribe and misprescribe medications, a mistake that can have dangerous outcomes.

It is estimated that 3.4 billion prescriptions were filled in the United States in 2003, which averages to 11.7 prescriptions per citizen. The enormous quantity of medications distributed each year translates to an inevitable number of misprescriptions–prescriptions that are inappropriate for a particular ailment and may be downright dangerous for a patient to take. A 2004 study found that 1 in 12 doctor’s visits in the U.S. resulted in the patient receiving misprescribed medications. Then there’s the danger of abuse, with prescription drug abuse statistics indicating a rise in such cases.

When misprescribing and overprescribing occurs, the negative effects range from simply not solving the health issue in question to actually worsening the condition. An over-prescription of anti-depressants, for example, could have reverse effects on a patient with depression. Misprescribing drugs could mean that the prescribed drug would pose a health threat. Prescribers advise not to take medication when one is not ill; thus, the dangers of prescribing something that shouldn’t be prescribed are clear. There is also a vast amount of money that is wasted when misprescriptions occur, a devastating dilemma for those who pay for their own medications or have expensive copays.

Healthcare providers may misprescribe for a number of reasons. The drug industry is a driving factor behind this persistent issue. Advertisements provided by drug companies promote certain medications to the point where patients request them by name, often leading prescribers to tailor their prescriptions around the patient’s wants rather than medical necessity. Additionally, the dangers of mixing certain medications are not always widely publicized and discussed. Prescribers may not ask for adequate background information from their patients, a vital step in determining whether a patient should add a new medication to what they are currently taking. Furthermore, research has shown that some doctors–particularly those who are ACoAs (adult children of alcoholics)–feel the pressure to please their patients and will act according to their patients’ requests.

“With doctors stretched thin, some […] think writing prescriptions is the easy way out,” states an article about the stress of the medical community over misprescribing pain medications and other pills. Healthcare providers oftentimes go straight into prescribing another medication when the “disease” for which it is being prescribed is in fact a side effect of a drug that the patient is already taking. The professional will prescribe a drug to “treat” what is actually an adverse reaction to another medication, which could have been more effectively solved by lowering the dosage of the initial medication or replacing it with another form of treatment.

Due to adverse reactions to misprescribed and overprescribed pills, half a million people are hospitalized each year. The medications they are misprescribed lead them to experience reactions that could have been avoided had the pills been properly prescribed or not prescribed in the first place. Mistakes happen even in the realm of medical science, but prescribers must take more careful measures before issuing their patients a prescription. By exerting greater care in the issuing of medications, misprescriptions can be avoided.

This guest post is contributed by Adrienne Hurst at AllTreatment.com, a rehab center directory and substance abuse information resource.

Comments: Attorneys and their experts who evaluate the liability and damages issues surrounding prescriptions should consider:

• Was the condition accurately diagnosed?
• Was the prescription an appropriate treatment?
• Was the drug prescribed in the correct dosage and route?
• Was the drug being used off label or in an unapproved manner?
• Did the patient have contraindications for the use of that drug?
• Did the patient provide appropriate informed consent regarding the drug, as well as receive education on uses and side effects?
• Was the patient’s condition monitored for therapeutic response to the drug?
• Were side effects promptly recognized?
• Did an error in prescribing cause any permanent injury?
• Careful analysis of the medical record, with the assistance of a legal nurse consultant, can make all of the difference in the outcome of a case involving misprescription.

  Sources:
  http://www.worstpills.org/public/page.cfm?op_id=3
  http://www.e-tmf.org/downloads/Why_Physicians_Misprescribe.pdf
  http://www.in-pharmatechnologist.com/Packaging/No-improvement-in-misprescribing-rates
  http://sundaygazettemail.com/News/201101161143?page=2&build=cache