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by Senator Richard T. Moore

December 27, 2006...Earlier this year, the National Academy of Sciences Institute of Medicine issued a report entitled, “Preventing Medication Errors.” The report concluded that “the most powerful strategy for improving safety may be motivating providers and organizations to support the full engagement of patients and surrogates in improving the safety of medication use.”

During the study, I was invited to testify regarding steps that we could take to reduce medication errors – the most common, and sometimes fatal, form of medical mistakes by physicians, nurses, or hospital staff. As a result, I have been pleased to learn that the Massachusetts Medical Society’s Committee on Quality in the Medical Practice, in collaboration with the Massachusetts Coalition for the Prevention of Medical Errors and the Commonwealth’s Betsy Lehman Center for Patient Safety, have taken steps to help all of us reduce the risk of becoming a victim of medication errors.

The result of the collaboration is a simple process called “Med List.” It’s a convenient list that patients and their families can carry with them to medical appointments. Med List is a free series of tools to:

• help patients track their use of all medications, herbs, vitamins and other dietary supplements; 

• assist patients in discussing their medical history with physicians;

• give physicians more complete and accurate information about a patient's medications; 

• provide physicians with the ability to provide a higher level of care and avoid drug interactions.

The Med List check list provides patients a place to write down important health care information, including medical conditions, vaccinations, health care documents, over-the-counter medications and discontinued medications, along with places for names and phone numbers of physicians, pharmacy, specialists and emergency contacts. The checklist includes spaces for details such as the medication's name, start and stop dates, dosage, who prescribed it, when the medication is taken, the purpose of taking it, if any monitoring is required and possible danger signs.

Accompanying the checklist are instructions for patients on how to use the list, along with 10 tips for using medications wisely. Among the tips: Never take anyone else's prescription medication, treat medications just like dangerous chemicals, and inform providers if you take herbs, supplements, or vitamins. Consumers may find the information and the check list to be downloaded at: http://www.macoalition.org/Initiatives/docs/ambulatoryPatientMedList.doc 

A third tool in the Med List program is "Actions for Prescribers," a checklist for inpatient providers, outpatient providers, nursing homes and assisted living facilities. Providers may secure this list at: http://www.macoalition.org/initiatives.shtml.

Another helpful service that I helped to establish is a program called MassMedLine. It is free and operated by the Massachusetts College of Pharmacy’s Worcester Campus. The program can help you to sign up for Medicare Part D or the state’s Prescription Advantage Program, apply for free drugs, or learn more about drugs that you are taking. You can call them toll free between 8am and 6pm on weekdays at 866-633-1617.

Medications are not just prescriptions you receive from your health care provider. They include the remedies you can purchase at your local drug store for colds, flues, stomachaches etc. They also include herbal supplements and remedies. Do you know what all of your medications are for? How often should you take them? How long should you take them for? If you have a prescription, how can you get a refill? Do the medications cause any side effects? Should they be taken with, or without food? Is it okay to drink alcohol? Can they be taken with any other medications you might be taking? You should know the answers to all of these questions before taking any medications. Read on to find out how you can be as safe as possible when taking medications!

Where should you be storing your medication? Do you ever have children in your home that might have access to them? Follow these safety storage tips to make sure you are keeping your medications where they belong and that little hands can't get at them! 

Some medications are to be stored in a cool dry place, such as your medicine cabinet. Others need to be refrigerated. Always ask your doctor or pharmacist how your medications should be stored. This information should be on the label of your medications. If you can't read the label, make sure your let your pharmacist know this. They should be able to provide you with a label that has large print on it or can explain the directions for you. 

Keep your medications out of children's reach. Although you may not have children living with you, they may come by to visit you from time to time. Any medications in a medicine cabinet should be high enough that small children will not be able to reach them easily. Make sure that the cabinet door is tightly shut! For medications that are to be kept refrigerated, try moving them to the back of the fridge where they won't be as easy to see or reach. One of the fastest growing, and sometimes fatal problems among today’s young people is using prescription drugs from the family medicine chest to try to experience some kind of euphoric high. Prescriptions are dangerous when not used as intended!

Always keep your medications in their original containers. That way you won't confuse them with other medications you might have and you will have the proper instructions for taking them right on the bottle

Side effects and bad reactions can be unpleasant experiences when taking medications. Make sure you are aware of how to manage these! Also, make sure you know whether or not you may consume any alcohol while taking your medications and never ever share medications with others! 

Take your medications exactly as directed by your doctor. Taking more or less of a medication than what your health care provider prescribes could be harmful to your body. 

Make sure you are aware of any side effects your medications might cause. Side effects are things your medications might do to your body, other than what they are intended to do. With some medications side effects are expected. They are often very mild and many people find them relatively easy to put up with. Always ask your health care provider if your medications will cause any side effects. If you find you are experiencing side effects that you cannot tolerate, contact your doctor. You may be able to change medications, or take something to help ease the side effects. 

If you experience any bad reactions to your medications contact your doctor or visit your local emergency department right away. Bad reactions are unwanted and harmful effects of medications that are not expected. Examples of bad reactions to medications could include: Difficulty breathing, Skin Rash, Itching, Swelling, Feeling faint, Racing heartbeat, Nausea, Throwing up, Severe diarrhea, and Severe depression 

Some people on medications should not use alcohol, or should use less than what is recommended! The combination of alcohol and some medications can be harmful to your body. Make sure you ask your doctor whether or not you should have alcohol while you are taking medication. 

Never share medications with friends or family members. Many people have been hospitalized after taking prescription medications that were not their own. A medication that might be very helpful for you could end up seriously harming someone else. Advise friends and family members who are having health problems to visit their health care provider. 

Expired and unused medications can be dangerous. You could end up mixing them up with other medications, and becoming very sick. Many pharmacies will accept expired and unused medications and will dispose of them for you. It is best to let your local pharmacy do this as they are able to dispose of medications in an environmentally friendly manor. Check with the pharmacies in your area to see if they offer this service. 

Many people feel uncomfortable or embarrassed to ask their doctor or pharmacist questions. Remember, they are here to help you take your medications safely and to help you to feel as good as possible. The more you know about your medications the better. Try some of these tips to make asking your doctor or pharmacist questions a little easier. Write down a list of questions before you leave for your appointment. This will help you to avoid forgetting them later on. If you are worried that you will forget the answers, write them down, or ask your doctor to write them down for you. You may also want to ask them if they have any pamphlets or information on your medications that they can give you. The more you know the better. Don't be afraid to ask your health care provider to rephrase their explanations to you if you don't understand them. It is important that you have a good understanding of your medications. Although taking medications might seem like a relatively simple task, there is a lot of information of which you need to be aware. Following these medication safety tips can help you to take your medications responsibly and to feel as good as you can! Have a healthy and happy New Year!

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