Medical Errors: The Unspoken Killers in the US
Corsiglia McMahon and Allard, L.L.P. 96 N 3rd Street, Suite 620 San Jose CA 95112 800-227-5320
Medical errors across the United States are killing more people than AIDS or drug overdoses, proving that medical negligence should be a top concern for everyone. 1.
The Problem with the Healthcare System
Medical errors kill more individuals than car accidents or the outbreak of a new disease. These errors kill more people every year than AIDS, breast cancer, drug overdoses, or plane crashes. Medical errors typically fall under two categories. Certain mistakes happen when medical professionals set a wrong plan: giving the wrong prescription. Errors can also happen if those professionals set the right plan but failed to follow it: a surgeon operating on the wrong body part or messy handwriting on a prescription leads to wrong medication or dosage. In one of the most important studies discussing medical errors, it said that “at least 44,000 people, and perhaps as many as 98,000 people, die in hospitals each year as a result of medical errors that could have been prevented.� The study, To Err is Human: Building a Safer Healthy System, was published in 1999 but has since been the foundation of ensuing researches.
2.
The Problem with Automated Prescription Refills California and many other states have adopted an automated system for filling prescriptions. One
good thing about this is that apart from being more convenient for people, it serves as a reminder for patients to not forget their medicines. The downside, however, is that the systems currently in use do not communicate discontinued medicines to the distributors and pharmacies. Changes in medication therapy are not often cascaded to patients, doctors, or pharmacists. This means there is a high possibility that the auto refill system just keeps on dispensing unneeded, possibly harmful, medications.
3.
The Problem with Coming Clean A study published in 2004 found that
only one in five doctors disclosed a serious medical error they had committed. Part of the reason for the lack of disclosure is the fear of America’s medical malpractice laws. Doctors will not likely tell patients that something went wrong, as this increases their chances of getting sued. However, the research also notes that more than the threat of prosecution, this lack of transparency is really about self-preservation.
According to the study, it is embarrassing and painful to admit that mistakes happened during a patient’s care, and that doctors may be partly to blame. With the recent changes in medical malpractice caps and the growing awareness for medical negligence, it is clear that reforms are needed in order to minimize litigations and maximize patient care.
RESOURCES: http://cmamedicalmalpracticelaw.com/ http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23257079 http://www.fda.gov/drugs/drugsafety/medicationerrors/ http://www.pharmacy.ca.gov/meetings/agendas/2012/12_oct_tech_mat.pdf http://archinte.jamanetwork.com/article.aspx?articleid=760546#ref-ioi30911-30 https://www.iom.edu/~/media/Files/Report%20Files/1999/To-Err-isHuman/To%20Err%20is%20Human%201999%20%20report%20brief.pdf http://www.philly.com/philly/blogs/healthcare/Pharmacy-automatic-prescription-refills-cancontribute-to-medication-errors-and-waste.html