According to a press release that our Baltimore pharmacy error attorneys have been following, Gold Standard/Elsevier, a drug information and medication management solution developer, has licensed MEDcounselor Drug Information modules to the Institute for Safe Medication Practices (ISMP) for its consumer website, ConsumerMedSafety.org.
The ISMP is certified by the federal government as a non-profit safety organization of physicians, pharmacists and nurses that strive to prevent medication error and adverse drug events. ISMP offers confidentiality and legal protection for patients who submit safety and medication error reports, and claims that Gold Standard’s MEDcounselor modules are a valuable tool to help consumers become more engaged with their health care, and to make more informed medication decisions—which could prevent medication errors, and patient injuries and deaths on a worldwide basis.
The MEDcounselor modules available through ConsumerMedSafety.org include:
• Drug Information: When typing in the first three letters of the name of a drug, patients and consumers have access to medication information like side effects, important usage, and drug interactions for every prescribed prescription drug in the United States. Over-the-counter (OTC) drugs, vitamins, and nutritional supplements are also included in this information.
• MEDcounselor is written to comply with all national standards for Consumer Medication Information (CMI) and is available in both Spanish and English languages to avoid medication error.
• Drug IDentifier: If capsules or tablets become separated from the original package or container, consumers will be able to identify the drugs quickly by entering the imprint or marking that usually appears in the form of numbers. Patients can also select from thirty colors and twenty-five drug tablet/capsule shape choices for identification.
• Drug Interactions: Consumers and patients will be able to access possible drug interactions between prescription drugs, OTC medication, herbal and nutritional supplements, as well as any food intake, caffeine, alcohol and tobacco products that may interfere with the drug. Drug interaction alert include severity ranking that is color-coded for ease of use, and increases the clarity for the user.
Gold Standard/Elsevier claims that consumers will now get the necessary information that they need to take drugs safely, to identify or clarify unknown capsules or tablets, and to make sure that prescribed drug regimens do not have any drug interactions with other medications or supplements, avoiding the potential for serious medication error.
Gold Standard also licenses MEDcounselor modules to pharmacies, health care systems, online communities, and health information websites, with a “Toolkit” that is specific to the organization and integrates the modules into the existing content.
If you or someone you know has been injured by a medication mistake in Maryland or the Washington, D.C. area, contact our Maryland pharmacy error attorneys at Lebowitz and Mzhen Personal Injury Lawyers for a free consultation. Call us today at 1-800-654-1949.
MEDcounselor Drug Information Now Available on ISMP’s ConsumerMedSafety.org, PR Newswire, July 20, 2010
Related Web Resources:
U.S. Food and Drug Administration: Medication Errors