Parker Waichman LLP

Medication Errors Often Seen in Chemotherapy Treatment

Medication errors are more common that previously believed in chemotherapy treatment.  It seems about seven percent of adults and 19 percent of children receiving outpatient chemotherapy treatment—in clinics or at home—have been subjected to incorrect dosing or other medication mistakes, according to a new study by the University of Massachusetts Medical School, reports Science Daily.  […]

<"https://www.yourlawyer.com/practice_areas/medical_malpractice">Medication errors are more common that previously believed in chemotherapy treatment.  It seems about seven percent of adults and 19 percent of children receiving outpatient chemotherapy treatment—in clinics or at home—have been subjected to incorrect dosing or other medication mistakes, according to a new study by the University of Massachusetts Medical School, reports Science Daily.  The team looked at the records of nearly 11,000 drugs taken by cancer patients at three adult and one pediatric oncology clinics said White Coat Notes, which added that an earlier study that only looked at medications given at a cancer center revealed a three percent error rate.

Study lead Kathleen E. Walsh, MD, assistant professor of pediatrics at the University of Massachusetts Medical School and a Robert Wood Johnson Physician Faculty Scholar, said, “As cancer care continues to shift from the hospital to the outpatient setting, the complexity of care is increasing, as is the potential for medication errors, particularly in the outpatient and home settings,” quoted Science Daily.  Science Daily also noted that data analysis on about 1,300 adult patient visits and 117 pediatric visits from September 1, 2005 and May 31, 2006 revealed medication errors were more common than previously reported.

Of 90 medication errors—such as incorrect dosing due to confusion, conflicting orders, and overhydration—involving adults, 55 could have potentially harmed the patient, while 11 caused harm, said Science Daily.  Over half of the errors to adults involved clinical administration; 28 percent, the ordering of drugs; and seven percent, use of medication in patients homes, said Science Daily, adding that 40 percent of 22 errors in children harmed four and could have potentially harmed the rest.  Some errors in pediatric dosing occurred over wrong medication amounts or frequency, reported WebMD.  Errors in adult dosing occurred, WebMD added, over confusion over conflicting orders, overhydration prior to treatment, and abdominal pain because treatment for constipation did not occur prior to treatment, for example.

“As cancer care shifts from the hospital to the outpatient setting, adults and children with cancer receive more complicated, potentially toxic medication regiments in the clinic and home,” the team wrote, said WebMD.  The study was published in the Journal of Clinical Onclology, said WebMD, which pointed out that the journal described the errors as “high” in both adult and pediatric cancer patients.

The team concluded, reports the Washington Post, that treatment orders should be written on the day of treatment and pediatric care include improved communication and training as well as heightened parental support.  “Requiring that medication orders be written on the day of administration, following review of lab results, may be a simple strategy for preventing errors among adults, while most of the errors involving children may have been avoided by better communication and support for parents of children who use chemotherapy medications at home,” said Dr. Walsh, quoted Science Daily.

White Coat Notes said that most errors involved dosing errors usually resulting from duplicate orders—one written at diagnosis and one at treatment.  Only five such errors were caught before treatment said White Coat Notes.  WebMD pointed out that the researchers indicated that prevention of such outpatient medical errors fails because of a variety of issues such as “a lack of recognition of errors, communication problems, and fragmentation of care.”

What Our Clients Say About Us
We have worked with thousands of clients and we appreciate them and their positive reviews. Here are just a few recent client reviews...
5 Star Reviews 150
Denny Tang assisted my family in a major personal injury matter and got us a result we were satisfied with. Denny was a consummate professional and showed great patience and care in our case. We're grateful for his assistance.
Kareen M.
9 months ago
5 Star Reviews 150
Staff was very helpful everytime I called especially Ashley, I will definitely refer people to your establishment.
Cheryl Bobb
4 years ago
5 Star Reviews 150
Thank you Parker Waichman LLP and especially paralegal Benita Rollis who guided me through the whole process. She was very professional, courteous and always called me back when I had any questions. I was very satisfied and highly recommend Parker Waichman LLP.
Denise Saraceno
2 years ago

Why Choose Us to Help You?

We Take Care of Everything
Your situation is stressful enough: Let us take on the deadlines, paperwork, investigation, and litigation. We'll handle every detail so you don't have to worry.
No Recovery = No Legal Fees
We work on a contingency-fee basis, meaning that we only get paid from a portion of your settlement or jury award. If you don't get compensation, you owe us nothing.
Decades of Experience
Your situation is stressful enough: Let us take on the deadlines, paperwork, investigation, and litigation. We'll handle every detail so you don't have to worry.
Respected by Our Peers
Judges, insurance adjusters, and fellow attorneys all speak highly of our skills, and we've earned numerous accolades, including a flawless rating from AVVO.
We Have Many Locations To Serve You
We have the experience and the skilled litigators to win your case. Contact us and speak with a real attorney who can help you.
Long Island – Nassau
Parker Waichman LLP
6 Harbor Park Drive
Port Washington, NY 11050
Long Island – Suffolk
Parker Waichman LLP
201 Old Country Road – Suite 145
Melville, NY 11747
New York
Parker Waichman LLP
59 Maiden Lane, 6th Floor
New York, NY 10038
Queens
Parker Waichman LLP
118-35 Queens Boulevard, Suite 400
Forest Hills, NY 11375
Brooklyn
Parker Waichman LLP
300 Cadman Plaza West
One Pierrepont Plaza, 12th Floor
Brooklyn, NY 11201
New Jersey
Parker Waichman LLP
80 Main Street, Suite 265
West Orange, NJ 07052
Florida
Parker Waichman LLP
27299 Riverview Center Boulevard
Suite 108
Bonita Springs, FL 34134
Nationwide Service
Parker Waichman LLP
59 Maiden Lane, 6th Floor
New York, NY 10038