For some Georgia residents, prescription medications are a normal part of daily life. They trust medical professionals to offer the proper medication for their ailments. When a medication error occurs, like giving a patient a prescription that causes an allergic reaction, it can be frustrating and put a patient’s health in danger. Here are some important things you should know when it comes to medical malpractice.
Medication errors
Medical malpractice in the form of medication errors affects an estimated 1.5 million people in the U.S. annually. This type of malpractice covers several improper procedures and conduct by medical professionals.
Some errors result from issues that occur before the medicine is prepared or given to the patient. Prescription errors occur when the physician prescribing the medication makes a mistake with the medication dosage or type or with the patient’s medical history.
Prescription errors are also connected to misdiagnosis, which is one of the main causes of medical malpractice lawsuits in the United States. Rare conditions, a complex patient medical history and the introduction of new medications contribute to the chances of a misdiagnosis.
Preparation mistakes
After a medicine is prescribed, a pharmacist prepares and packages it. More errors can occur during the preparation phase. If pharmacists have not cleaned their hands properly, the medication can become contaminated. In addition, incorrectly identifying the medication or the medicine’s ingredients can negatively affect the preparation phase if the pharmacist accidentally gives the wrong medication to a patient. As a result, the patient may develop new health issues or fail to receive proper treatment for a current medical condition.
If you’ve been a victim of medical malpractice due to an incorrect prescription, you may want to schedule a consultation with a personal injury lawyer. A lawyer may be able to help you prove that a doctor or pharmacist failed to consider your medical history or mixed up the medication.