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WE SEEK JUSTICE ON
BEHALF OF THE INJURED PATIENT 

WE SEEK JUSTICE ON
BEHALF OF THE INJURED PATIENT

Improving medication list accuracy with training

Many patients in Iowa are victims of medical malpractice due to medication errors. In a recent study, researchers found that medication reconciliation training reduces errors when it comes to medication lists.

Physician assistant researchers at the University of Kentucky Markey Cancer Center, Multidisciplinary Clinic implemented a patient medication interview to make sure that information on all patient medications was properly captured. They claim that many medical record technicians have not received enough training and are unfamiliar with patient records. In their study, the researchers also found that patients are often unable to recall all of the medications they were prescribed. Many patients did not bring their medications or a list to share with medication technicians.

Patient interviews were divided into three categories. A thorough interview meant that the technician considered every medication. Partial meant that the technician asked about medication changes or addressed single medications. A thorough review meant that the technician asked about every medication.

Researchers found that 50% of technicians conducted a thorough interview, 35.3% conducted a partial one and 14.7% did not address medications at all. After a standardized training regimen that used a script and a listing of common prescription medications, thorough medication reconciliation increased to 100%.

Adverse patient reactions due to medication errors is a very common type of medical malpractice. An attorney may be able to help a patient who has been affected by medication errors understand what went wrong and file a claim for damages. Legal counsel could investigate the incident by evaluating any medical records and identifying each individual responsible for any errors.