Why Do Medication Errors Happen?

As a patient, you probably expect your physician and other medical professionals responsible for your health to provide you with proper care. Sadly, patients may find themselves hurt or even lose their lives as a result of a medical professional’s negligent behavior and carelessness. In Albuquerque, and other cities in New Mexico, some people suffer due to medication errors. If you are worried about a medication error or believe that you have suffered due to the incorrect prescription of medication, you should immediately go over your rights as a patient.

According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, medication errors occur for a number of reasons. Often, these mistakes take place because of inefficient procedures, improper communication, and medications that sound very similar. Other causes include patients failing to understand directions, inexperience and inadequate training among medical professionals, and work-related stress. In fact, the FDA reports that roughly 1.3 million are hurt each year and a minimum of one fatality occurs per day due to medication errors.

Sadly, many of these errors could have been avoided if medical professionals would have paid better attention. Whether a doctor fails to set aside enough time to carefully write out a prescription and it is misread due to poor handwriting or medical professionals fail to communicate with each other appropriately because they are in a rush, many of the causes of medication errors are preventable. For those who have had their lives shattered physically, financially, or emotionally, holding negligent medical workers accountable is important.

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