A recent study has revealed over 100,000 medical have problems with prescription drug abuse. The problem with any doctor, nurse, pharmacist or technician abusing such medications is quite obviously that it can lead to patient injury or medical malpractice.
More than 1 in 20 Americans misdiagnosed each year
South Carolina residents may be surprised to learn how frequently doctors make mistakes when diagnosing their patients' symptoms. A survey published on April 16 in the journal BMJ Quality & Safety reports that up to 12 million Americans, which equates to more than one in 20 adults, are misdiagnosed each year. The study was conducted by a Houston-based veterans affairs center that compiled research from several sources, including medical malpractice claims.
The value of follow-up calls by pharmacists
Pharmacists often review prescriptions with patients in South Carolina and elsewhere over the telephone in an effort to reduce medication errors, but some wonder if they actually help. The efforts really don't assist those who may need more care, according to a recently-published study. The author of the study, an associate professor of pharmacy practice, stated that the results showed that people who are considered low-risk benefit the most from the phone check-ups by pharmacists.
Woman freezes to death in morgue freezer
An incident involving a woman who died by hypothermia and asphyxiation after she was put in a body bag by hospital personnel may be of some interest to people who live in South Carolina. The 80-year-old woman from California was originally believed to have died from a heart attack back in July 2010. The hospital declared her to be dead, and she was put in the hospital's morgue, according to the report.
