There are hundreds of prescription medications available. Modern medications can help people treat everything from eczema and bipolar disorder to blood sugar challenges and high blood pressure.
However, medication is not a magical cure-all. Every medication creates a degree of risk for medical patients. There are common and rare medication side effects to consider, as well as the possibility of dangerous interactions. Other medications, popular over-the-counter supplements and even foods can interact with medications and lead to poor outcomes for patients.
Doctors prescribing new medications to their patients should be careful to make thorough disclosures so their patients can make informed choices. All too often, doctors rush through the prescribing process and deny their patients an opportunity to make an informed decision.
A pamphlet does not fully educate a patient
It has become common practice for physicians to write a prescription without ever discussing contraindications, side effects, success rates and other concerns with patients. At most, they may have a patient sign an acknowledgment that they received an educational pamphlet. Frequently, patients have to sign that paperwork before they have had any opportunity to review the literature the doctor provides.
The priority in such scenarios is clearly the legal protection of the doctor rather than the protection of the patient. Unfortunately, many patients sent home with information about new medication have a hard time understanding those documents. They may procrastinate about reading them and may start treatment without ever understanding the risks involved.
Doctors should discuss key aspects of prescribed medications with patients to ensure they understand the risks involved. Patients need to know about the worst possible side effects and what other medications might interact with the medication to take it safely.
When doctors rush through the prescribing process, they may fail to educate their patients. They may also cut corners when it comes to reviewing their medical records. They may prescribe something that has a known interaction with another medication they take or that has a similar formula to another drug that has provoked an allergic response in the patient before.
While no doctor can absolutely predict how patients might react to drugs, many poor drug reactions are the result of physicians cutting corners, failing to educate their patients and choosing not to review their medical records at length. Holding physicians accountable for medication errors may require a medical malpractice lawsuit. When doctors don’t put the best interests of patients first, patients may need to go to court in pursuit of justice.