Several times a year there are news stories highlighting a celebrity’s addiction to prescription pain medication. Whether it is a sports star, a musician, an actor or another type of high-profile celebrity, these issues serve to highlight a larger problem throughout society. Pain medication abuse and addiction can have a devastating impact on an individual’s life – leading to death in severe cases.
Medical professionals from doctors to nurses to pharmacists are relied upon to carefully monitor the prescription and use of pain meds. Medications like Vicodin, Percocet and OxyContin can have a stronger, more addictive impact than many illegal narcotics.
What Constitutes A Failure To Monitor?
Recent studies highlight the fact that many medical malpractice claims can be directly tied to Opioid medications. When a doctor fails to manage his or her patients, those patients can be over-prescribed or prescribed medication that is dangerous to their overall health.
In one study, it was noted that “Physicians continued to renew prescriptions without monitoring patients to see if they were getting better or not.” Responsibly dispensing, administering and monitoring are critical in determining whether a patient is on the right medication, at the right dosage and for the right amount of time. A failure at any stage of this process can lead to a devastating, life-threatening health conditions.
In a review of the study, The Expert Institute noted: “The future of opioid-related medical malpractice claims will likely depend on the accepted standard of care established by researchers and experts in the field.” Medical professionals must remain vigilant in carefully examining patients to determine the correct course of treatment. Additionally, follow-up examinations must be made to ensure a patient’s medication is working properly, has been properly dosed and the patient is not in danger.
Depending on the condition, medication errors can have a disastrous impact. An attorney skilled in handling medical malpractice cases can provide the answers and guidance you need.
