Every doctor and hospital across the country lives by the Hippocratic Oath with the basic intent being to “do no harm.” And yet, medical errors are currently listed as the third leading cause of death in the US. While medical errors, just like human errors, can never be fully avoided, the introduction of telepharmacy technologies may be able to mitigate the frequency, visibility and consequences of such errors. At Hospital Pharmacy Management (HPM) we know that the safety and wellbeing of your patients is your top priority. Here’s how telepharmacy can help:
By The Numbers
A study published in The BMJ estimates that medical errors are responsible for over 251,000 fatalities a year, or ten percent of the annual U.S. toll. This would place medical errors behind only heart disease, which claims approximately 611,000 lives per year, and cancer, which is responsible for as many as 585,000 deaths per year.
Medication Management
A major contributor to this epidemic of preventable deaths is medication errors. This is where telepharmacy becomes a game-changer. Studies have shown that when properly implemented telepharmacy programs can decrease incidents of preventable adverse drug reactions (PADRs) by as much as 0.8 percent.
Telepharmacy Can Help
With 24-hour pharmacist medication review, particularly in the rural sector, pharmacies can gain a new level of safety in care. Instead of having nurses or other providers take on the burden of reviewing medication orders, clinicians can focus on actual time with patients. In this capacity, a telepharmacist can reduce other avoidable errors that result from a lack of face time spent with patients. In the case of computerized physician order entry (CPOE), telepharmacy can act as a supportive resource to increase accuracy. In their day-to-day routines, telepharmacists help flag mistakes that computer systems may not catch, while also providing support to on-site hospital staff giving them more time to focus on patient care activities.
Make a Change Today
If you’re ready to see the positive impact that telepharmacy can have on the safety and efficiency of your hospital, contact us today. Hospital Pharmacy Management has solutions and programs to meet all of the needs of your rural hospital.
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