Pharmacy Errors & Malpractice in Cleveland

Consequences of Medication Errors

In any hospital, adverse drug events because of medication errors can cause:

• side effects;
• drug interactions; and
• overdoses.

Patients who suffer an adverse drug event as a result of a medication error in a hospital – whether related to pharmacy malpractice or not – are hospitalized for up to 12 days longer, compared to patients who suffer no drug interactions, according to a report from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.

That increases the cost of hospitalization. In the most severe cases, some patients may die because of a medication error whether related to incorrect prescription or errors at the pharmacy.

Types of Pharmacist Malpractice

There are two major types of pharmacist errors that occur: mechanical errors and judgment errors.  Mechanical errors occur when there is a mistake in prescription processing and preparation:

• dispensing the wrong medication;
• dispensing the wrong dosage of medication;
• failure to provide directions;
• providing the wrong directions;
• dispensing the wrong quantity; and
• dispensing the wrong dosage form (orally, intravenously or by other means).

Judgment errors occur when there is failure to use discretion in counseling:

• lack of counseling;
• incorrect counseling;
• failure to monitor and identify drug interactions; and
• failure to conduct proper drug use review.

 Causes of Pharmacist Malpractice

There are a number of factors that could increase a person's risk of making a mistake or an error during prescription processing.

These factors include:

• stress;
• high workload;
• telephone calls;
• lack of support or oversight;
• similar drug names;
• high volume of prescriptions (as in a busy hospital setting);
• lack of time for counseling;
• illegible prescriptions; and
• fatigue.

Compensation for Pharmacist Malpractice

Any pharmacist malpractice claim in Cleveland can hold the pharmacist who filled out the prescription, the pharmacy where the error occurred, and/or the hospital or clinic where the pharmacy is located, liable for damages.

Persons, who have suffered an injury as a result of pharmacy errors, can recover compensation for:

• medical expenses;
• emotional pain and suffering; and
• loss of earnings.

If you have suffered an injury as a result of pharmacist malpractice or negligence, you may qualify for compensation. Call 877-864-9495 to speak with a Cleveland attorney at Ryan, LLP, or fill out our online evaluation form and we will contact you.

About the author of this article: Thomas Ryan