Who Can Help Reduce Medication Errors in Kentucky Emergency Rooms?

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Kentucky emergency rooms are busy places. It can be difficult for doctors and nurses to accurately confirm all of the medications, and doses of medications, taken by every patient that walks through the door. However, it is important for doctors and nurses to have this information to avoid serious medication mistakes. 

Kentucky emergency rooms and emergency rooms throughout the country could benefit from a pharmacy tech, a pharmacist, or a pharmacy team to make sure that accurate medical histories are taken and that medical errors are prevented, according to a new study. The study was presented at a recent meeting of the American Society of Health Systems Pharmacists. According to the study, researchers found a total of 1,750 medication errors among 185 patents for an average of about 9.5 mistakes per patient. Some of the common mistakes included:

  • Missing the time and amount of the last dose of medication taken by a patient. This accounted for about 55% of medication errors.
  • Incomplete orders. This accounted for about 18% of medication errors.
  • Omissions of medications. This accounted for about 11% of medication errors.
  • Small numbers of duplications and discontinuations. 

In the study group, the patients who did not have a pharmacy tech, pharmacist, or pharmacy team dedicated to the emergency room had 425 medication mistakes. The patients who did have a pharmacy tech, pharmacist, or pharmacy team dedicated to the emergency room had a total of 25 medication mistakes.

We hope that this study helps reduce medication mistakes. We, the Kentucky medication error lawyers at Gray and White Law, extend our best wishes to everyone who was injured by a hospital medical error for a fast and complete recovery.