According
to a new study released in the American Pharmaceutical
Association's (APHA), medication errors (medication
misuse) costs the U.S economy more than $177 billion
each year. The estimated number of patient deaths has
increased from 198,000 in 1995 to 218,000 in 2000. There
are many reasons for the growing incidence of medication
errors. Some of the most common types of errors are due
to miscommunication among healthcare professionals.
Common Causes of
Medical Errors: Incomplete patient information
(medical & medication history, such as, not knowing
about patient's allergies, other medicines they are
taking, previous diagnoses, and lab results, etc.)
 |
Pressure
from managed care organizations (HMOs). Many
doctors spend too little time with their
patients, have insufficient information, and are
forced to make quick uninformed decisions.
Unavailability of
patients' medical files, especially in emergency
rooms and some hospitals.
Mistakes by
pharmacists who are always under constant
pressure to fill more prescriptions quickly but
have no or little time to spend with their
patients. |
The Personal Health
Document helps you inform the health care professionals
(physicians, pharmacists, nurse practitioners, and
others) with up-to-date and reliable personal health
information. This information can be used in making
informed and accurate medical decisions as well as
consistent and effective medical treatment that can save
you time, money and, above all, your life. When to
When
to Use the Personal Medical Diary
Your new doctor or the nurse wants to know your medical
history, your allergies, your immunization history,
Medical procedures and tests (MRI, CAT Scan, X-ray,
Blood Test, EKG, Angioplasty, Surgery, etc.) you had in
the past. Your doctor or the nurse wants to know all the
doctors you have seen in the past and the
hospitals/clinics you have been to. You are diagnosed
with either high blood pressure or diabetes.
Your doctor or nurse
tells you to measure and monitor your blood pressure or
blood sugar daily in addition to the medication therapy.
You want to know as well
as follow up how you are doing a week, month or year
from today.
Your pharmacist wants to
know all the medication you have taken in the past and
that you are currently taking so that he can identify
major drug-drug interactions, duplicate therapy,
unwanted side-effects, potential deadly mistakes and
make recommendations to your doctor when necessary.
The school nurse or the
emergency room physician wants to know your child's
medical history, the medication he/she has taken,
immunization history, or any food and drug allergy.
Before admission for
treatment, the attending physician or the nurse at the
nursing home/long term care facility wants to know a
complete medical and medication history of your loved
ones.
You want to know which
medications you have been taking are working and which
ones are not.
You want to know basic
information about your medication, including; the name,
use, prescribing doctor, and dispensing pharmacy. You
also want to know how often and when it is taken so that
you can comply with the medication therapy and get the
most benefit out of it. This leaves less room for
mistakes such as getting the wrong or someone else's
medication
