The independent, not-for-profit organization known as the Joint Commissions created a “Do Not Use List” to reduce and eliminate medication errors. Louisville medical malpractice lawyers know this list because it designates dangerous acronyms and abbreviations that medical professionals should not use when writing prescriptions.
The “Do Not Use List” is targeted at doctors’ handwritten representations of items which a pharmacist or other medical professional could easily misread. Patients, in turn, may be mistreated due to a medication error or misinterpretation of a treatment regimen.
For example, the “Do Not Use List” contains the abbreviations Q.D., which stands for daily, and Q.O.D., which means every other day. The reason these abbreviations are on the list is that the two abbreviations, when handwritten, could be mistaken for each other or misread as Q.I.D., which refers to 4 times a day.
If a doctor handwrites a prescription with “Q.D.,” but the pharmacist reads it as Q.I.D., a patient could overdose and suffer permanent physical damage. Depending on the drug, a patient could die as a result of this medication error.
Although the “Do Not Use List” is supported by the medical community, many physicians still use these abbreviations. Patients should get direct verbal instructions from their doctor about dosage requirements and treatment recommendations.
Secure a Louisville Medical Malpractice Lawyer
If a medication error has affected the health of you or a family member in Louisville, a medical malpractice lawyer may be a great resource. The medical malpractice attorneys at Gray and White Law have been helping protect the rights of patients for decades. Call today for a free consultation – 888-450-4456.