Drug errors and technology

An IOM report came out with some grim findings. Technology may be part of the solution, but there may not be enough incentive to adopt:

Technology alone could prevent some errors today, but there’Â’s too little incentive for hospitals and other care providers to invest, added University of Arizona pharmacy dean J. Lyle Bootman, who chaired the IOM probe.

“We’Â’re paid whether these errors occur or not,” lamented Bootman, who recently experienced the threat firsthand as his son-in-law dodged some drug near-misses while in intensive care in a reputable hospital.

For now, Bootman advises consumers to be aggressive in questioning doctors, nurses and pharmacists about their medications, whether they’Â’re watching over a hospitalized loved one or figuring out their own pills at home.

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