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Electronic Prescribing System Can Lead to Prescription Errors

According to the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), upgrading to an electronic prescribing system can lead to prescription errors.

Some healthcare providers have updated their healthcare record systems which includes e-prescribing. While e-prescribing can help prevent some common errors, such as illegible handwriting, a new study finds that the transition can also cause mistakes.

The focus of this study was on 17 doctors who had upgraded. After 12 weeks of using the new system, the highest rate of prescription errors occurred at 35.7 mistakes per 100 prescriptions. After using the system for a year, the errors dropped to 12.2 per 100 prescriptions.

Most of the prescribing errors involved improper use of abbreviations. This type of mistake could lead to a patient receiving the wrong drug.

E-prescribing may be able to help stop some of the common prescription errors but it doesn’t necessarily guarantee 100% accuracy. When a mistake such as this leads to injuries, then compensation may be available.

If you have questions concerning your eligibility to pursue legal action, you should speak with a Louisville medication error attorney. An attorney will take the time to look over your case and determine if you should proceed with filing a claim.

Contacting a Louisville Medication Error Attorney

A Louisville medication error attorney at Gray and White can help you handle every aspect of your medication error claim. If you’ve been injured in Kentucky, contact us today for a free evaluation of your case – 1-800-634-8767 or 502-210- 8942.

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