Ohio patients may be vulnerable to safety errors when being treated by a medical professional. According to one study, electronic health records (EHRs) could be a reason why they occur. Specifically, issues with electronic records could result in medication errors including prescribing an inappropriate level of a given medication. These conclusions were drawn after looking at 9,000 patient safety reports from 2012 to 2017.
Medication dosing was a common problem resulting from issues with being able to use electronic record systems. This can be an even bigger problem when dealing with children as there are no differences in the systems used for younger patients as opposed to adults. According to the study, 36 percent of errors were caused by usability issues, and it was believed that 18.8 percent of those errors resulted in harm to the patient.
Among medication errors within the group analyzed by researchers, roughly 85 percent were related to improper dosing. In one instance, a doctor ordered a dosage level outside of the recommended range. However, there was no alert or other indication that a mistake had been made. Ultimately, the study found that improvements to EHR systems should be made to make theme easier to use. Furthermore, it is recommended that those using such systems should enact a policy of trusting but verifying EHR information.
If medical professionals make errors in their treatment, patients may be entitled to compensation. A financial award may make it easier to pay for medical bills or make up for lost wages and future earnings related to the mistake. Those who have been harmed by a medical error may wish to seek out legal counsel to help pursue appropriate redress.