A recently published medical industry report attempts to point out the surprising threat that American patients face every day in doctor’s offices and hospitals due to the small print that is used on many prescription forms, medication bottles, and medical review materials. The report, which was supplied to the publisher by a company seeking to profit from the present-day problem, notes that a survey of health care professionals performed in 2014-2015 found that almost 90% of doctors, nurses, and other health care professionals reported difficulty reading the small print found on drug labels and that over 35% were aware of a close call or actual prescription error that occurred because of the small print on some medical materials.
Doctors Who Don’t Need Reading Glasses or Assistance From a Colleague with Adequate Vision May Make Mistakes and then Blame the Small Print
The report contains startling information that millions of patients may be placed at risk every day because doctors and nurses are unable to read medication bottles correctly, and some of these professionals apparently do not take the initiative to ensure that their eyes are functioning well enough to protect their patients from a pharmacy or medical error stemming from a piece of medical literature that is read incorrectly. The article seems to place the blame for these errors and any injuries, illnesses, or deaths they cause upon the small print that is used on medication bottles. However, the bottom line is that medical professionals are responsible for reading what is on medication bottles and other literature before they give a potentially dangerous medication to a patient.
If a medical professional is unable to read a piece of text and does not seek assistance by consulting a colleague, putting on some glasses, using an app on their smartphone, or using a piece of magnification equipment to ensure that they understand what they are doing, they should be held responsible for any injuries that are caused by their mistake.
Making a Case for Damages after a Pharmacy Error
Medical professionals make up some of the most dedicated and intelligent people in the American workforce, but some medical professionals believe themselves to be incapable of making a mistake. This type of confidence and pride may come in handy for a medical student or resident who is required to work extremely long hours while maintaining their attention and composure, but that same pride can be a curse when the medical student becomes a doctor who believes themselves to be the most competent person in the room. Many medical professionals who are found to have committed mistakes or errors are unable to admit that they made a mistake or accept responsibility for the result of a pharmacy error.
Victims of a pharmacy error or another medical mistake may discover that well-respected medical professionals are trusted and believed even when they don’t deserve to be, and proving that an error was due to the neglect of a respected medical professional can be a difficult and frustrating endeavor. Patients should not forget that doctors must be held to a high standard, since lives are in their hands.
If a doctor makes an error because they misread a bottle, it is not the fault of the small print, the manufacturer, the lighting in the room, or anything else. It is the fault of the doctor, and the victims of such an error deserve to hold that doctor responsible for their mistake.
A Maryland Pharmacy Error Attorney Can Help You Hold Medical Professionals Accountable for Their Mistakes
If you or a loved one is a victim of a pharmacy error or another act of Maryland medical malpractice, the Maryland pharmacy error and medical malpractice attorneys at Lebowitz & Mzhen can help you try to make them take responsibility for the harm they have caused. Our attorneys have taken cases against some of the most respected medical professionals in the region and obtained damages awards for our clients. Schedule a meeting with a Maryland pharmacy error attorney today, and we can help you hold negligent professionals accountable for their conduct. To discuss your case, call us toll-free at 1-800-654-1949 or contact us online to schedule a free consultation today. At Lebowitz & Mzhen Personal Injury Lawyers, we represent clients in Maryland, Northern Virginia, and the entire D.C. area.
More Blog Posts:
Prescription Errors Can Have Devastating Consequences, Pharmacy Error Injury Lawyer Blog, November 14, 2016.
Compounded Prescriptions May Present an Increased Risk of Pharmacy Errors, Pharmacy Error Injury Lawyer Blog, November 1, 2016.