Errors made by pharmacists are a type of pharmaceutical negligence that can constitute medical malpractice. According to a recent study, the rate of errors made by hospital pharmacists increased significantly when their workload expanded.
The study, published in the American Journal of Health-Systems Pharmacy, examined inpatient and outpatient medication mistakes during a one-year period from July 2011 to June 2012 at a large medical center in Texas. The researchers reviewed the work of 50 pharmacists who handled over 1.9 million medication orders during that period. The study found 92 mistakes that were made during the order verification process.
The study found that when pharmacists’ workload increased, they made more mistakes. The average error rate was 4.87 mistakes per 100,000 verified orders, but the researchers found that when pharmacists had to verify more than 400 orders per shift, they committed more errors.
Of the 50 pharmacists whose work was examined as part of the study, 31 made one or more mistakes during the time period studied. More experienced pharmacists and pharmacists holding higher degrees made fewer mistakes.
When doctors and pharmacists make prescription errors that cause patients harm, the injured patients may have the right to compensation through a pharmaceutical negligence or medical malpractice lawsuit. If you suffered this type of injury, contact Joyce & Reyes for a free consultation to learn more about your rights.
If you need to speak with a personal injury lawyer, Call Joyce & Reyes at 1.888.771.1529 or visit more of http://www.joyceandreyespa.com/.
