Prescription medications can help you manage certain medical symptoms and reduce the effects of a serious disease. If you take one or several prescription drugs, you may be grateful for how these drugs positively impact your health but still have concerns about the potential of a medication error.
According to the National Library of Medicine, every year in the U.S., between 7,000 and 9,000 patients die from a medication error. While physicians have the responsibility to prescribe medications correctly, there are things you can do as a patient to reduce your risk of a medication error.
Learn about your medications
When prescribed a new medication by your doctor, learn about what it is and what it is for. If you have any questions about a prescription drug you take, bring these inquiries to your doctor.
Check the containers of your prescriptions
Every time you take a medication, double-check the label to ensure you consume the correct one. You should also keep your medications in their original containers to prevent any mix-ups.
Maintain a list of your medications
Keep a comprehensive list of all the medications, both prescribed and over-the-counter, that you take on a regular basis. Present this list to your physician as a reference during every medical appointment you attend.
Medication errors can be deadly, but they can also impact your health and well-being significantly if you survive. If your physician prescribed you the wrong dose or the wrong type of medication or committed another type of harmful medication error, you may need to take steps to protect your interests.
