Adverse drug effects cause an estimated 93,000 deaths and $4 billion in excess health care costs in nursing homes each year. More significant is the fact that about half of these adverse effects are preventable. Most nursing homes lack the technology, such as electronic medical record systems, required to track current patient medication information. The lack of current information often leads to the prescribing of dangerous drug combinations and drugs with side effects dangerous to the patient. As a result of this information, researchers hypothesized that a doctor’s ability to look up drug information before prescribing would lead to a reduction of medication errors.
A new study published in October 2013 shows a correlation between the use of drug reference mobile applications and medication error reduction in nursing homes. These applications give nursing home physicians access to drug reference databases that enable them to determine the best combination of medication that will not have adverse effects on the patient. The study surveyed over 500 nursing home doctors regarding their use of drug reference software and mobile devices. Researchers found that approximately 42 percent of participants used their mobile devices to check drug information, the majority of which were younger doctors. 80 percent of participants reported that their use of the drug reference application prevented one or more potential medication errors in the past four weeks.
Despite the evidence that mobile applications can reduce medication errors in nursing homes, the problem is that less than half of nursing home doctors are utilizing this technology. Researchers suggest that there is potential to further reduce the medication error rates but it is up to physicians to take advantage of the tools they literally have at their fingertips.





The first step is to report the abuse to the appropriate authorities. Call 911 if the situation is life-threatening. Otherwise, it can be reported to the police and appropriate agencies. For abuse in the community or a hospital, call Adult Protective Services at 1-833-401-0832. For abuse in a nursing home or long-term care facility, contact your local long-term care ombudsman or call 1-888-452-8609.
The next step is contacting a California elder neglect lawyer to help you safeguard your loved one’s rights, investigate the abuse, and hold the facility accountable.
There is no way to determine the exact value of an elder abuse or personal injury case, especially early in your case. However, an experienced attorney can give you an estimated range based on their experience with similar cases.
There are many factors that may influence the value of your case, such as:
Some damages are easy to calculate, such as lost wages and medical bills. Calculating the value of diminished earnings for the rest of your life or future medical needs, however, may require the help of experts. Non-economic damages like pain and suffering have no intrinsic financial value. These damages are challenging to calculate.
If your case goes before a jury, you may potentially be able to recover more than you could through a settlement. However, this introduces a new element of risk: the jury. The circumstances of your accident and even how sympathetic you or the defendant are can influence the outcome.
During your consultation and throughout your case, we will help you understand how these factors influence your case. We will also work tirelessly to document the value of all your damages and pursue maximum compensation on your behalf.




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