Much of modern medicine involves the use of prescribed medication. Doctors can recommend prescription drugs based on an individual’s symptoms or the medical condition causing those symptoms.
Prescribed medications are controlled substances that people can only access with the recommendation of a licensed medical professional. A doctor determines the right medication, as well as the dosage and frequency of treatment. In theory, the prescribing process helps protect people from drug abuse and other issues, like dangerous drug interactions.
Unfortunately, medication errors are relatively common. Some occur at the pharmacy or when nurses administer medications in hospitals. Other times, doctors make mistakes when prescribing medication to patients. The following are some of the most common sources of physician medication errors.
Inadequate communication
Doctors sometimes rush to conclusions after talking with patients. Research has shown that doctors may spend as little as 11 seconds listening to patients. That may mean they don’t have the whole picture when they decide on a course of treatment. They might recommend a medication that is inappropriate or unnecessary, and the patient could potentially have an adverse reaction to that medication.
Insufficient record reviews
Talking to a patient isn’t the only way that a doctor determines what medication is appropriate. They also need to look at an individual’s medical records. Factors including family history and known allergies, as well as other medications the patient takes can influence the best options available. If doctors don’t look over records carefully, they could make a prescribing error that results in an interaction or an allergic reaction.
Issues with the dosage or medication names
Sometimes, errors in the prescribing process occur when the doctor writes out the prescription or inputs it into a digital system. They may recommend the wrong dosage or input the drug name incorrectly. Small mistakes can have major implications for a patient’s health. In scenarios where the patient has a bad reaction to the medication and a physician’s mistakes are to blame, the patient may have grounds for a medical malpractice lawsuit.
Establishing that a medication error caused a patient harm is the first step toward holding a doctor accountable. Successful lawsuits can lead to compensation for the patient and consequences for the doctor at issue.