Hospitals Receive Fines for Distributing Wrong Medications
A hospital in California received a $25,000 fine after distributing a list of medications to the wrong patient, which resulted in the death of an 87-year-old woman in August. The Fremont, CA resident was brought to Washington Hospital and was diagnosed with heart failure, dementia and shortness of breath. Several hours later she was given methadone, Lexapro, Zestril and Desipramine which were intended to be given to another patient.
Shortly after taking the medications, the patient began experiencing hallucinations. When doctors reviewed her charts, they questioned why she had been given methadone (which is normally prescribed for pain management among other things) after never having mentioned she was in pain. That’s when the hospital realized she had been given the wrong set of medications.
The incorrect mix of medications, partnered with her already weakened state, lowered the patient’s blood pressure and caused her to become lethargic. Doctors moved the patient to the intensive care unit of the hospital, but were too late. The patient died just two days after having been admitted.
The California Department of Public Health issued 12 additional fines for similar cases throughout the state last week. The fines are intended to increase the care and attention paid towards patients in order to decrease policy and procedural errors that jeopardize the health and well-being of patients, and in some unfortunate cases, lead to their death.
