Pharmacy errors have always happened but are becoming more frequent due to staff shortages, chaotic work environments, employees working longer hours and other workplace disruptions.
Errors can also occur due to miscommunication between the doctor and the pharmacist, unclear communication between the patient and the physician, mix up of drugs with very similar names and medications that look alike, unclear handwriting or abbreviations used by the doctor or pharmacist and mistakes made by office staff when sending prescription electronically.
The US Food and Drug Administration receives over 100,000 reports of medication errors each year.
According to The World Health Organization (WHO) Globally, half of all preventable harm in medical care is medication related, a quarter of which is severe or life-threatening.
Each of us must be our own advocate when it comes to healthcare and the medications we are prescribed. Here are some ways you can protect yourself from pharmacy related errors.
Know what you have been prescribed
Physicians often send prescriptions to the pharmacy electronically. Ask the doctor for a copy of the prescription so that you know the name, dose, reason you are taking it and any special instructions. When you get the medication at the pharmacy review your written copy to verify that you have been given the medication exactly as your doctor ordered.
Don’t Sign Before Checking
Don’t sign for the medication at the pharmacy until you have been given all the information you need, and you are sure you have received the correct prescription.
Check the Label
One of the most common mistakes pharmacies make is giving the prescription to the wrong person.
Check that the correct name, medication, address, and other identifying information is correct.
Check the Medication
Open the container and check the medication.
WebMD, Medscape and RxSaver all have a pill identification tool on their website. You can also check the medication manufacturers website directly.
https://www.webmd.com/pill-identification/default.htm
https://reference.medscape.com/pill-identifier
https://www.rxsaver.com/pill-identifier
Speak with the pharmacist
When you pick up your prescription ask to speak to the pharmacist, especially if the prescription is new to you. Ask about side effects and whether the new drug is safe in combination with any other medications you are taking. Pharmacists are required to check for drug interactions when dispensing prescriptions, but oversights can happen. Just speaking with the pharmacist increases the likelihood that they will take a second look at your medications and catch any harmful interactions.
Report Mistakes
If you find a mistake with your prescription inform the pharmacy, you should return the medication and they should give you a replacement. If your medication was mixed up with another customer that person may be in danger. Informing pharmacies about errors can help them prevent mistakes in the future. You should also report any errors to your state pharmacy board and the prescribing physician.
Read the instructions
Read the instructions that are included in the prescription bag, these contain important information about how you should take the drug, when to take it, if you should take it with food, how to properly store the medication and other critical details.
The Tech Minimalist 