Hospital patients have many risks for suffering from adverse events. There are many different types of errors that impact patient safety, but a new survey found that drug shortages are very harmful for patients. Half of the pharmacy directors surveyed said adverse events, including fatalities, were caused by drug shortages.
The United States Food and Drug Administration reported that drug shortages decreased from 251 in 2011 to 117 in 2012. The reduction was due to more efforts and programs to reduce drug shortages in the country. Despite the reduction, drug shortages can still be very dangerous for patients.
Drug shortages can cause many health issues and complications, including medication errors caused by the wrong dose or wrong drug, delay in treatment, cancelled care and increased costs, according to the survey. The survey also reported that drug shortages resulted in an increase in patient readmissions.
Drug shortages have been a patient safety issue for many years, but this was one of the first surveys that highlighted the impact it has on patient safety and adverse effects. Why are drug shortages so dangerous?
Drug shortages can force a patient to wait for their necessary treatment, causing their medical condition to worsen. Even when an alternative medication is used instead, the patient can still suffer adverse health complications because they are not receiving the best medication that can treat their condition. A delay in treatment or not receiving the right treatment can lead to devastating consequences, including patient deaths.
Drug shortages can also lead to medication errors where patients do not receive the accurate dose of medicine or they receive the wrong medication. These errors can cause serious health complications in patients.
Patients should be aware of the dangers of drug shortages and the impact it can have on their health.
Source: Science Daily, "Newly Published Survey Shows Drug Shortages Still Have Major Impact On Patient Care," Jan. 9, 2014
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