The lawsuit against Baxter still to come, but this goes along with really needing technology and trained staff to work with such in hospitals and doctor’s offices.  This could happen to anyone, anywhere. 

With the deluge of information just due to changes in healthcare and the availability of additional clinical information, drugs, etc., there’s just no way we can keep as many things on top of our heads, and with the big level of distractions that exist today, technology can help.  Recently at Kaiser big yellow signs were placed on selected nurses to warn others not to disturb when they are administering medications, so between a little old and new technology, perhaps a safer environment can be created.  All is takes is one distraction and anyone could make a mistake. 

On the other hand with the labeling, I have addressed this a few times on the blog, and this case not only involves the case of origin for the product, but also similars, the wrong bottle being used by mistake with different strengths.  Not too long ago I did a story on a hospital that made changes in their trays that emergency staff uses and with the new products, which fit differently, they realized right away that someone out of habit might still look in the old location, thus big labels were added so help reduce a potential problem even before it happened.  BD 

Dennis Quaid is also a guest speaker this April at the annual HIMMS convention. 

Dennis Quaid and his wife Kimberly reached a settlement with Cedars-Sinai Medical Center for $750,000 over a medication error last year that nearly killed the couple's twin infants, according to papers filed Monday in Los Angeles County Superior Court. Nurses at the hospital mistakenly gave twins Thomas Boone and Zoe Grace 1,000 times the recommended dose of the blood thinner heparin, leaving them vulnerable to uncontrolled bleeding and leaving them, for a time, in critical condition.

Dennis Quaid settles with Cedars-Sinai - Los Angeles Times

Related Reading:

HIMMS Healthcare IT Conference and Exhibition 2009 – Dennis Quaid Keynote Speaker

Dennis Quaid tours Dallas hospital

Medical device makers' worst fear: Dennis Quaid

FDA Chief Relents, Asking Congress to Fund More Foreign Inspections

Dennis Quaid Acts on Medical Errors

Hospital in Fremont fined for fatal error; Los Angeles hospital cited in case involving actor Dennis Quaid's twins

Quaid's Twins Got 2,000X Dosage: Probe

Quaid Sues Maker (Baxter HealthCare) of Drug Given to Twins

Quaid's Twins Get Accidental Overdose

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