Pakistani American Pharmaceutical Association

Safety is very important in a work place and especially important in a hospital, where people's lives are at risk. One important goal for this year is to improve the effectiveness of communication among caregivers. During the course of a hospitalization, a patient often requires care from different practitioners. For instance, the same patient may receive care from his or her physician, a specialist, interns and residents as well as a team of nurses during one inpatient admission. Mistakes can occur between caregivers during the gaps created at change of shift, change of service and change in level of care. This safety will decreases medical errors and in some instances reduces hospital readmissions.

This is in addition to the completion of medication reconciliation across the range of care. This includes obtaining and documenting a complete list of the patient’s current medications upon the patient’s admission to the organization with involvement of the patient. In addition, a complete list of the patient’s medications must be communicated to the next provider of service when a patient is transferred to another setting.

Another goal is to provide surgical or other invasive services specifies that all medications, medication containers and other solutions used in persistent settings are to be labeled as a part of the goal to

improve the safety of using medications. This applies to all areas in the hospital that provide operative and invasive procedures. Many of these medication errors led to serious patient injuries and death 

         “I don’t believe that. You have to call my insurance company  ”

        “  Ok I will call your insurance company 1-800- 111- 1111 ”

For patients press 1, for mental patients press 2 for prior authorization press 3 for health professionals press 4 for Pharmacy press 5

Pharmacist pressed 5, for English press 1 for Spanish press 2 He pressed 1 then voice asked enter Rx no the Date Rx filled and automatic voice said “ Patient not covered, for further information wait for the operator.’’

After 10 minutes of waiting operator told the pharmacist that patient is not covered and let him call his benefit department.

Pharmacist told patient the situation, patient gave him a look then smiled & said to pharmacist, you know what I remember I have new card.

Once in an article I wrote that lot of patients have difficulty understanding simple questions like; “ What is your date of birth? ” Another situation patients do not want to understand is if you tell them, your card is expired or the patient is not covered.  In Pharmacy, patients keep repeating what a pharmacist says to them.

      “ You are not covered with this card.”

      “  What, I am not covered with this card?”

       “ Yes sir, you are not covered with this insurance card   ”

       “   What do you mean by that I am not covered.”

        “  I used this card last week it was ok ”

         “But it is not ok NOW  ’’

        “ How is it possible? ”

          “ Sir now a days everything is computerized. See this message it says coverage expired.”

         “ Who expired? ”

          “ Your coverage with this insurance card is no more active ”

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