Medical errors being #3 isn't a fluke. The preventable human factors aside, some of it is automation.
If you admitted to a hospital, it is typical to "reconcile" your medications - meaning that someone verifies what you normally take and makes sure the hospital's record is up to date. Some patients have a rather extensive list of meds they take. An error can occur when the automated software assigns those medications.
If for instance, you normally have high blood pressure and take a few medications for it, then the record will indicate this and the medication may be assigned, even though you are currently in the hospital with an illness that is causing you to have dangerously low blood pressure. If the admitting doctor, the pharmacist or the nurse giving the medication don't catch this, it could cause serious problems.
The software might have some safe guards built in for common medication errors, but there are still lots of potential problems.
Medical errors being #3 isn't a fluke. The preventable human factors aside, some of it is automation.
If you admitted to a hospital, it is typical to "reconcile" your medications - meaning that someone verifies what you normally take and makes sure the hospital's record is up to date. Some patients have a rather extensive list of meds they take. An error can occur when the automated software assigns those medications.
If for instance, you normally have high blood pressure and take a few medications for it, then the record will indicate this and the medication may be assigned, even though you are currently in the hospital with an illness that is causing you to have dangerously low blood pressure. If the admitting doctor, the pharmacist or the nurse giving the medication don't catch this, it could cause serious problems.
The software might have some safe guards built in for common medication errors, but there are still lots of potential problems.
I wasn't aware of the software as where I live it is still mostly the doctor recommending medicine and writing the prescriptions.
If it were automated, I would certainly encourage anyone I know to get a second opinion from a non-automated source or two.
Thanks for letting me know about the automation though.