How long have you waited for a vital prescription? From older patients trying to sort out problems with their pain management doctors to young parents trying to wrangle sick kids as they pull up to the pharmacy drive-thru, the wait time for refills or medications from the ER can be considerable.
Part of the problem with long wait times is understaffing at pharmacies. These waits are annoying but manageable. Far worse are the medication errors that can result in patients’ worsened conditions or even deaths.
What the statistics say
Back in 2022, pharmacists were surveyed by the Emergency Care Research Institute (ECRI). Their follow-up report found an astonishing 93% of pharmaceutical errors and/or patient complaints were attributed to short staffing by the pharmacies. They topped the list of patient safety concerns.
Another survey the year before determined that 90% of those who responded were not able to find enough qualified pharmacy technicians to optimally staff their pharmacies.
How the problems develop
Electronic health records that print out patient prescriptions largely did away with problems of poor penmanship by physicians. However, some older doctors refuse to convert to the new systems, meaning that problems continue in some areas.
There are also problems when techs rely on oral orders from physicians or the pharmacists themselves. Did they say take one Klonopin per day or one clonidine? Mistakes like that can adversely affect patient outcomes.
What can patients do after a pharmaceutical error?
If you suffered serious harm or a worsened condition due to a medication or pharmaceutical error, you may have legal options to fight back. Learning more about the malpractice laws here in New Jersey can help guide your decision.
