Patients in New York can take steps to avoid wrong dosage of drug

More than 120,000 people are hospitalized every single year due to medication errors. These same errors cause 700,000 visits to the emergency room and 7,000 deaths annually in New York and across the country. A medication error can involve a patient receiving either the wrong dosage of a correct medication or the wrong drug entirely.

Senior citizens account for less than 15 percent of the United States population. However, it is the elderly that use 35 percent of drugs purchased over-the-counter and roughly 40 percent of drugs purchased through a prescription. On average, individuals who have retired and are at least 60 years old take roughly 14 different prescriptions every year. By the time they reach 80 years old, they are taking roughly 18 prescriptions each year.

Because of those statistics, it may not come as a surprise that approximately 36 percent of adverse drug reactions involve a senior citizen. Although physicians and pharmacists should never deviate from the acceptable standard of care, patients can help ensure that medication errors don't occur as well. Purchasing a pill box and ensuring that all pills are in their respective slots every week can go a long way toward avoiding the consumption of the wrong pills.

When patients pick up their medication from the pharmacist, it is recommended to double-check the medication. It can also help to double-check the package insert, the name of the drug and the dosage. All of these are important in ensuring that the right medication is being taken.

Medication is here to help patients feel better. Unfortunately, they can cause injury, especially when the wrong drug or wrong dosage is provided. When this happens due to the negligence of a medical professional, patients in New York have rights. Patients may wish to look into what available legal action can be taken to recover civil compensation for the injuries suffered, while also holding the negligent party liable in the hope of them learning a lesson from their mistake and being more vigilant in the future.

Source: Florida Today, "Tronetti: Medication mix-up can cause adverse reactions", Dr. Pamela Tronetti, May 28, 2014