A founding member of Tanoury, Nauts, McKinney, and Garbarino of Detroit, Cullen McKinney is a trial attorney experienced in civil defense litigation. In defending hospitals and medical professionals against malpractice claims, Cullen McKinney has developed an extensive knowledge of the role of medication errors in such cases.
To help consumers avoid medication mistakes, the Food and Drug Administration advises taking the following precautionary steps.
- Understand what can happen. Most mistakes involve improper dosing, administering the wrong drug, and selecting the wrong method of administration. Older persons are especially vulnerable, as, frequently, they take multiple medications. Children are at risk because their dosing is weight-based; as such, precise measurements are a must.
- Learn each drug’s name and purpose. Instead of simply accepting a prescription, have the doctor write down what the drug is for. Hospital patients should find out which medications they are receiving and for what reason.
- Get and understand precise dosing information. Find out exactly when should they be taken. Should they be taken with food? What other drugs or food should you avoid when taking the medication? Learn possible side effects and measures to take.
- Exercise caution. Read the label every time and use the medication’s intended measuring device rather than items such as kitchen spoons. To avoid confusion with multiple meds, use pill containers. Ask family or friends to remind you of your regimen.
- Keep a written list of all medications and show it to every provider. Remember items such as vitamins, sleep aids, laxatives, and birth control pills. If possible, use only one pharmacy to simplify record-keeping and inform all parties of medication allergies or bad reactions.
- Finally, ask about everything. Look for discrepancies such as unfamiliar drug names, any changes in the pills’ appearance, and unclear or inconsistent directions. If you forget to ask, call your doctor or pharmacist.
