A study from Penn State University took a look at a relatively easy solution that might just help reduce medical errors: standardized labeling.
Medication errors are costly, potentially harmful to the patient, and all too commonplace these days. According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, there are more than one and a half million medication mistakes each year that caues adverse reactions in patients. These mistakes cost doctors, hospitals, and insurers more than three billion dollars annually.
Volunteer participants in the Penn State Hershey study tested out a very simple solution to a complex problem: color-coded labels. Anesthesiologists, residents, and nurses drew medications (into syringes) under high pressure conditions — moving faster and faster in order to simulate an emergency situation. Researchers found that when the color of the medication label matched the color of the syringe, fewer mistakes were made than when the colors did not match. If a label could be peeled off the bottle and put onto the syringe, there were even fewer errors.
There have been lots of other big ideas for reducing medication errors, including:
- Using bar codes on medications
- Using computer programs to help keep track of medications, dosages, drug interactions, and more
- Using high-tech radiofrequency identification for medications
The researchers from Penn State pointed out that these methods are costly — and they don’t work very well in fast-paced situations (like emergency rooms and operating rooms). The study authors feel that a simple solution like color-coding will be easier to use and far more reliable.
The FDA is also working to eliminate the use of abbreviations that can be confusing to help cut down on medication errors. They have published a list of “Error-Prone Abbreviations, Symbols, and Dose Designations” that can help cut back on misinterpretation. Promoting safe, reliable practices among health care professionals can make a HUGE difference in the number of medical errors each year. Remember — health care workers are human, too.