The fact that you asked this question means that you are headed in the right direction. The Institute of Medicine compiled a fact sheet in July 2006 with suggestions on how to avoid medication errors in a variety of settings. Here are the suggestions regarding out-of-hospital prescription use.
Personal/Home Care
- Keep a current list of all the products you are taking, such as prescription drugs, nonprescription drugs, and vitamin and mineral supplements.
- Show the list to each doctor you visit so he or she can review it.
- Make sure you know where to find information about your medications should you have questions.
Ambulatory Care/Outpatient Clinic
- Have the prescribing physician either write down or provide printed material including the name of the medication (both brand name and generic, if available), the purpose, dosage, and frequency.
- Ask the prescriber to explain correct use of the medication.
- Find out from the prescriber if there are any side effects and what to do if you experience them.
Pharmacy
- Check the name of the drug and directions for use against what your prescribing doctor wrote down.
- Have the pharmacist review your list of medications.
- Ask the pharmacist any questions you have about the drug you are taking.
- Request written information about the drug.
Prescriptions are supposed to improve your health, not ruin it. If your health has been damaged by a medication mistake in Kentucky, contact the Louisville medication error lawyers at Gray and White Law and set up a FREE, no-obligation consultation. Call us at 502-210-8942 or toll free at 888-450-4456.