When you get a prescription from your physician, you expect to start feeling better — not worse. So you may be surprised with study results released by the Institute of Medicine of the National Academies Thursday. According to research, more than 1.5 million U.S. citizens are affected negatively each year by errors in prescribing, dispensing and taking medications.
Errors are understandable, but when those errors lead could lead to sickness or death, something must be done. Patients can and should be more aware of the medications they are taking and the system for prescribing and dispensing them must be improved.
Just because your physician has a degree from medical school does not mean that he or she knows every ailment and reaction in the book.
For those of us not in the medical field, it becomes easy to assume that our physicians are always right. In actuality, though, physicians are human and are capable of making mistakes.
We can't simply take for granted that our doctors will always be right or thorough when prescribing medication.
On the same note, patients are not always honest about what other medications they are taking, or they might not see the significance in telling the physician about it.
So where is the middle ground?
While physicians should do their part of knowing the possible side effects medications could cause, patients should also do their part and independently research the medications they are prescribed.
In addition, patients should be up front with physicians about any other medications they take or habits that could affect the purpose of the prescribed medication.
If electronic prescribing were adopted by physicians, many problems would be avoided, according to the report.
Using this method, a patient's medical information would be readily available in an electronic database.
When the physician prescribes a new medication for the patient, that medication is entered into the same database and any possible reactions would be brought to the physician's attention.
A good physician's main concern is the health of his or her patient. What concerns you should concern your physician as well.
So the next time you get a prescription, no matter what it is, make sure you ask questions and take responsibility for your own well-being.
