HCA 240
Paula Arceneaux
December 2, 2012
Analyze Contemporary Health Care Issue: Medication
In the United States there have been numerous medication issues that healthcare institutions have dealt with. The medication has risen in cost; few medications that have been approved by the FDA have resulted in severe side effects. That has led to the health institution liable for legal disputes, lawsuits and a tarnished reputation. This medication issue continues to affect the productivity and the growth of healthcare institution. According to National Academies there at least 1.5 million people every year that deal with medication errors (Dobbins, C., Stencel, C., 2006). That the extra medical cost alone is about 3.5 billion dollars, but does not include the lost wages, the productivity and additional health care cost.
In the aspect of how non-profit organizations impact on medication error, according the National Coordination Council of Medication Error Reporting and Prevention their vision is, “No Patient will be harmed by a medication error”, (www.mccmerp.org, 2012). Their mission is to increase awareness about medication error through communication. Also maximize the safe use of medication making sure that they educate the consumers, patients and health care professionals about cause of medication errors and strategies for prevention. However medication errors/issues are nothing new however it has not received the attention that it needs. Medication errors/issues do not target a specific business. Everyone is affected by medication errors, from health care settings such as physicians’ office, nursing homes, pharmacies, urgent care centers, and care delivered in the home.
The cost of medication error/issues carries a very high financial cost. The numbers in medication errors are equally disturbing whether its 380,000 or 450,000 people that have been victim to medication error. The medication errors are undoubtedly costly to those such as
References: Asepden, P., Wolcott, J., Palugod,R. Bastien, T. (2006) Preventing Medication Errors. Retrieved December 1, 2012 from http://www.iom.edu/~/media/Files/Report%20Files/2006/Preventing-Medication-Errors-Quality-Chasm-Series/medicationerrorsnew.pdf Dobbins, C., Stencel, C., (2006). News. Retrieved December 1, 2012 from http://www8.nationalacademies.org/onpinews/newsitem.aspx?RecordID=11623 Theleapfroggroup(n.d.). Computerized Physician Order Entry. Retrieved December 2, 2012 from http://www.leapfroggroup.org/media/file/Leapfrog-Computer_Physician_Order_Entry_Fact_Sheet.pdf Nccmerp.org (2012). About NCC MERP. Retrieved December 1, 2012 from www.nccmerp.org/aboutNCCMERP.html