How can I help prevent prescription errors and dangerous drug interactions?
It is very important for patients to ask questions if they don’t completely understand what is going on in their current medical treatments. There are several steps that patients can use to protect themselves from potential errors or drug interactions. First, you should always ask your doctor to explain what he has written on the prescription you are receiving, including the name of the drug, how to take it and what it is used for. Also, you can ask the doctor to write the medication’s purpose on then prescriptions. This can help prevent errors in dispensing similarly named drugs. You should also let your doctor know if you are taking any other drugs that he is not familiar with including over the counter products. Second, you should make an effort to always use the same pharmacy so they will be familiar with the current drugs you are taking, as well as, the current ailments you may have. This pharmacy should also keep a current file on your medication allergies and medical conditions.
