Medications can make you feel better and can save your life. However, medications can also make you sicker – particularly if you take the wrong medication or take a medication differently than your doctor prescribed. Medication errors occur in hospitals, care facilities and at home. Learning how to reduce your risk of medication errors can […]
Archive | Medications
Is Off-Label Medication Safe?
Millions of Americans take prescription medications to treat their diseases and improve their health. It’s easy to assume that the medication your doctor prescribes for you has been approved for your particular ailment. But sometimes, doctors prescribe medications that have not been approved for your ailment, a practice referred to as off-label medications. Is off-label […]
Doctors Prescribing Too Many Medications
Medications save lives and make life more bearable for millions of people. No doubt about it. But medications can also cause harm. Logically, the more medications a patient takes, the higher the risk of side effects and dangerous interactions between medications. Did you know many patients take inappropriate or unnecessary medications? Unfortunately, over-prescribing is a […]
Are Antibiotics Helpful or Harmful? What You Need to Know.
Antibiotics are the go-to treatment for many types of infections. Doctors prescribe them, and/or patients demand them, for a wide variety of ailments. Are antibiotics helpful or harmful? Antibiotics are a mixed blessing. Because sometimes they don’t help patients recover. And sometimes they make patients sicker, and collectively they are causing great harm. Doctors are […]
Are Medications Safe?
Americans are taking billions of pills and other medications every year. Almost 50% of US adults take at least one prescription medication. And many millions take over the counter medications. We rely on medications to keep us healthy and to cure both serious and minor ailments. In many cases, people would not survive without their […]
How to Save Money on Prescription Medications
Prescription medications can be frighteningly expensive, even with insurance coverage. Have you ever suffered sticker shock? It’s happened to me on several occasions, including a co-pay of $450 for a medication we didn’t even end up using! These high prescription medication prices are hurting our collective health and our wallets. How widespread and serious is […]
How Can Hospitals Reduce Medication Errors?
For many hospitalized patients, medication is an important part of treatment and/or recovery. It would be easy to assume that your nurse is giving you the right medication at the right time, but unfortunately that is not always the case. Medication errors in hospitals are common and can be dangerous. How can hospitals reduce medication […]
Reduce the Risk of Medication Errors in Long-Term Care Facilities
The risk of medication errors in long-term care facilities is a serious issue. In last week’s post, we heard about Rose, an elderly woman who experienced dangerous medication errors while at several rehab facilities. Unfortunately, medication errors in long-term care and/or rehab facilities are common and dangerous. Fortunately, you can reduce the risk of medication […]
One Patient’s Tale of Medication Errors in Long-Term Care
I often cite research regarding the frequency and severity of medication errors. The Institute of Medicine estimates the average patient in hospitals and long-term care facilities experiences at least one medication error each day! The report also states there are 1.5 million preventable adverse drug interactions each year in US hospitals and long-term care facilities. […]
Tips to Save Money on Prescriptions
Everyone has experienced the sticker shock of picking up an unexpectedly expensive medication from the pharmacy. Even with insurance coverage your co-pay can be expensive. Or perhaps you haven’t reached your deductible yet and have to pay the full price. How can you save money on prescriptions? Read on! What can you do to save […]