Maryland pharmacy errors can take many forms—an incorrect dosage, for example, or even the incorrect medicine. Perhaps the pharmacist accidentally prints instructions telling the patient to take the medicine twice a day instead of twice a week, or misreads a doctor’s written prescription. Whatever the error, pharmacy errors have one important thing in common: they are more likely to happen when pharmacists are stressed, overworked, and distracted—three things they have been known to be since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic.
With pharmacists and pharmacy technicians overworked and operating in stressful and hectic work environments, it may come as a surprise to many that there has been a significant decrease in the number of pharmacy errors and patient safety incidents being reported since March. According to a Pharmacy Business article, there was a 44.5% decrease in the number of incidents reported during the second quarter of 2020, compared to the first. Additionally, there was a 40.6% decrease in the number of incidents reported compared to the same quarter in 2019. While this may seem like good news, experts say it’s not. In fact, the National Pharmacy Association (NPA) has asked community pharmacies to report all safety incidents—believing that they are currently not doing so. In a recent update, NPA said that the significant reduction in the number of incidents being reported “may be due to the increased workload and pressure on pharmacy teams due to the COVID-19 pandemic, whereby pharmacy teams may not be prioritizing reporting of patient safety incidents.”
It is thus important that Maryland residents understand that a decrease in reported errors probably does not mean an actual decrease in errors—if anything, pharmacy errors are expected to be increasing during this stressful time. Pharmacists are working frantically to fill prescriptions, maintain a safe and clean working environment, and respond to patient requests, with the stress of COVID-19 constantly looming. As such, they are likely to be distracted and hurried, perhaps missing pharmacy errors that could cause significant harm to patients.
What Can Patients Do to Reduce the Risk of a Pharmacy Error?
Maryland residents are encouraged to double-check every prescription and refill to make sure the drug inside the bottle matches the description and the instructions match their doctor’s instructions. If a pharmacy error does occur, they should immediately call their doctor to mitigate any harm. Additionally, in cases causing serious illness or injury, Maryland patients always have the option of filing a personal injury suit against a negligent pharmacy or pharmacist. These suits can help hold the pharmacist responsible and provide monetary compensation for the injured victim, allowing them to pay off their medical bills or cover costs incurred due to the error.
Contact a Maryland Pharmacy Error Attorney
If you or a loved one have recently been injured or fallen ill due to a Maryland pharmacy error, you should know that you have a right to file a personal injury lawsuit. While this process may seem daunting, the attorneys at Lebowitz & Mzhen, LLC, can help walk you through it. Call us today to speak with our dedicated and compassionate attorneys and learn more about how we can help you. With years of experience, you can trust your case is in good hands with us. Call today at 800-654-1949, or you can reach us through our online form. There is no risk in calling, as we will not bill you for our services unless we are able to help you recover compensation for your injuries.