Medication errors are a serious problem. A new report released by the Institute of Medicine of the National Academies discloses the substantial cost of medication errors and the numbers will likely surprise you.

The following were reported as conservative estimates for preventable adverse drug events (ADEs) amounting to over 1.5 million occurrences each year in the United States:

• 380,000 to 450,000 preventable ADEs in hospitals each year
• 800,000 preventable ADEs in longterm care facilities
• 530,000 preventable ADEs among outpatient Medicare patients

Each single preventable adverse drug event which occurs in the hospital adds an estimated $8,750 to the cost of the hospital stay or about $3.5 billion for 400,000 occurrences in the hospital. The cost is even greater when lost wages and pain and suffering are included.

According to the Institute of Medicine, four out of every five adults in the United States use prescription medications, over-the-counter drugs, or dietary supplements each week with nearly one-third taking five or more different medications.

• Review Prescription Drug Labels
• Arthritis Medications: What Are My Options?
• When Should Arthritis Medicines Not Be Used?
• 10 Things You Should Do When Given a New Prescription

The Institute of Medicine has recommended:

• better communication between patients and healthcare providers
• improved quality and accessibility to information about medications
• improved labeling and packaging of medications
• by 2010 all physicians and pharmacies should be using electronic prescriptions

More Related Resources:

• Guide to Arthritis Medications
• Test Your Knowledge: Arthritis Medications
• Understanding Prescription Abbreviations
• Prescription Drug Information - Package Inserts
• Tips to Help You Avoid Taking the Wrong Medication
• How to Reduce the Risks of Using Medicine: Follow S.A.F.E.R

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