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Jul 20, 2006 4:31 pm US/Eastern

Health Alert: Prescription Drug Mistake

Stahl

Reporting

(CBS 3) PHILADELPHIA In health, a stunning new report

says one and a half million Americans are injured

every year by drug errors, in hospitals, nursing homes

and doctors offices.

Medications are supposed to save lives, and make

people better but the new report says drug mistakes

cause all sorts of misery and death.

On average a patient who is hospitalized is subject to

at least one drug mistake every day.

It also says there are 400,000 preventable drug

related injuries in hospitals every year that cost

$3.5.

The report comes from the institute of medicine.

“The current process by which medications are

prescribed, dispensed administered and monitored is

characterized by many serious problems that threaten

both the safety and positive outcomes that we hope to

achieve when we serve patients,” said Dr. Lyle

Bootman.

There are several ways drug mistakes happen. Patients

are given the wrong drug, or the incorrect dose, lack

of coordination among doctors and leads to dangerous

drug inter-actions.

Prescriptions can also be inaccurate because of bad

hand writing by doctors.

Here are some recommendations for protecting yourself

from medication mistakes: Keep a list of all drugs

you’re taking, in the hospital, ask questions about

the drugs you’re being given, have a relative watching

to make sure you’re getting the right drugs and get a

written list of drugs from your doctor.

The report says big changes need to be made to improve

patient safety, topping the list, all prescriptions

should be written electronically 20-10.

(© MMVI, CBS Broadcasting Inc. .)

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