Older Americans have more medication errors

According to a 2006 analysis by Medco Health Solutions, the drug error rate of adults over the age of 65 is about seven times greater than in people younger than 65. The analysis also found that one in four older adults was prescribed medications by five or more doctors. Misunderstandings about multiple doses and physician instructions can result in treatment plan mix-ups. To minimize the chance of medication mismanagement, bring all of your current prescriptions with you to all medical appointments. If each doctor knows what you are taking, you’re less likely to receive conflicting instructions or be prescribed incompatible medications.

The push for electronic prescriptions
Senator Debbie Stabenow of Michigan is leading a bipartisan coalition to pass legislation aimed at expediting electronic prescriptions, or e-prescribing. E-prescribing is when a physician uses a computer or handheld computing device to electronically generate and send a prescription to a pharmacist’s computer.

Every year, countless prescription drug errors are made due to handwritten prescriptions. These errors often lead to drug mix-ups, wrong dosages, dangerous drug interactions, and allergic reactions. The benefits of this technology include reducing potentially harmful errors by alerting physicians of possible risks, eliminating illegible physician-handwritten prescriptions, and cutting patient wait time at the pharmacy. Less paperwork and more information for the physician equal more convenience and lower cost for the patient.