Medical malpractice | Public hospital starts inquiry into incorrect drug prescription

A case of an incorrect dosage of medicine being prescribed to a child in the public hospital (CHCSJ) has been acknowledged by the hospital’s administration. The hospital has started an internal inquiry in order to discover how the incident came about, according to a CHCSJ press statement.

In the same statement, the hospital explained that the incident occurred on January 26 around 7.30 p.m., when a 6-year-old boy went to the pediatric emergency room and received a prescription for a dosage of medication that was later found to be a mistake.
The hospital administration also noted that after the report from the mother on social media, the medicine has been returned to the hospital and exchanged for the proper dosage.

The case has been reported by CHCSJ as a ‘near- accident.’ An internal inquiry has been initiated in order to address prescription procedures, as well as safety, prevention and control measures. The statement noted that the hospital’s drug safety team will strengthen the enforcement of the electronic drug prescription system, which includes an alert system for situations where there might be an exaggerated medication prescription and a system to help identify mistaken prescriptions. RM