Medication Errors Still A Major Issue
A new report from the Institute of Medicine tells us that "at least 1.5 million Americans are sickened, injured or killed each year by errors in prescribing, dispensing and taking medications."
The cost of treating drug related injuries exceeds $3.5 billion dollars per year.
The results of the study were reported in the Washington Post, which said that "[t]he report's most striking findings concerned hospitals and long-term care facilities, which it said generally do not report errors to patients or family members unless they result in injury or death. The panel said all health-care organizations should report medication errors to patients, whether or not they cause harm. "
Read the entire article here.
My 79 year-old father-in-law received a flu shot on 10/10/06 in the nursing home. He was admited into the hospital for respiratory problems and was given athother flu shot on 10/27/06. He also received another pneumonia shot (he received one in 2004). Could these extra innumizations caused additional respiratory complications and eventually his death? He passed on 11/10/06.