CONSUMERS

Consumers Can Prevent Medication Errors

Unfortunately, medication errors occasionally occur. They can happen in hospitals, in pharmacies, or even at home. And sometimes people get hurt because of these errors. The Institute for Safe Medication Practices (ISMP) believes that consumers can and should become active partners with their healthcare practitioners and take a leading role in preventing medication errors.

The more information you have, the better able you are to prevent errors and to take care of yourself. You have to ask your pharmacists, doctors and nurses about your medications, and you have to expect answers. It is in your best interests to know about your medications, learn how and when to take them, and what the effects and side effects are.

In addition to partnering with healthcare practitioners, you can help prevent medication errors from occurring by seeking out more information from websites, bookstores, or the library. But be careful about what information you trust when reading about your medications, since not all information that exists in print or the Internet is accurate.

ISMP is known and respected worldwide as one of the most trustworthy providers of timely, accurate advice on medication safety. The Institute resources listed below give you reliable information that can help prevent mistakes that could harm you or a family member.

• Throw away your medicines safely
• Alerts and Tools for Consumers
• General Advice on Safe Medication Use
• Lessons to Be Learned from Past Errors
• Preventing Drug Errors in Children
• Brochure on Safe Medication Use
• Safe Medicine, the ISMP Medication Safety Newsletter for Consumers