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new platform launched to tackle medication errors in canada: ‘your voice can save lives’
medical errors can lead to grave consequences, prolonged sickness and worsened health outcomes
3 minute read
reporting medical errors in canada isn’t always easy for patients, especially if they’re dealing with devastating consequences or grieving the loss of a loved one because of it. it’s also a challenge in the healthcare profession.
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roughly one in 20 adults experience a diagnostic error in canada every single year. medical errors, which include misdiagnosis and errors with medications, can lead to grave consequences, prolonged sickness and worsened health outcomes.
for melissa sheldrick, patient and family advisor with the institute for safe medication practices canada (ismp canada), a medical error involving an interaction between a routine prescription and compound medicine led to the death of her 8-year-old son, andrew, in 2016.
these types of mistakes are completely preventable and come with a devastating cost in many cases, leading to the launch of an updated pan-canadian platform, mederror.ca, that allows patients to report these issues discreetly.
“by sharing their experiences, canadians can help uncover risks and inform actions to prevent future harm,” said carolyn hoffman, ceo of ismp canada, in a press release.
ismp canada is behind the launch update because they understand the importance of advocating for patients who experience medication errors and their families. they also aim to raise awareness in the hope that these types of errors will continue to lessen, creating a safer healthcare system.
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reporting medical errors in canada
reporting medical errors in canada isn’t always easy for patients, especially if they’re dealing with devastating consequences or grieving the loss of a loved one because of it. it’s also a challenge in the healthcare profession.
doctors and other healthcare professionals often experience a high level of fear surrounding the fear of consequences they’ll be faced with after reporting, as they tend to shoulder the blame alone—personally, professionally, and legally—even when the safeguards within the existing system led to the error.
many canadian provinces also lack statutory protection that would play into the legalities of these errors, along with inadequate reporting systems and limited training on how to effectively discuss these errors.
there is also a lack of transparency and feedback regarding the outcome of reports, making it challenging to learn from mistakes and move forward with better information to prevent future issues.
to drive action, ismp canada launched the updated mederror website, hoping it would give caregivers and consumers the chance to report these errors without fear of negative consequences, thereby giving them a voice.
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along with reporting, the site also provides a community hub of people who have experienced medical errors, allowing them to foster change in the system as a whole.
“sharing our stories is not just about remembrance; it’s about prevention,” said melissa in a press release. “mederror.ca ensures those experiences are not just heard but used to help stop tragedies from happening to other families. your voice can save lives.”
the launch comes just in time for canadian patient safety week, which highlights the need for safer care through healthcare excellence canada’s campaign, aptly called “all voices for safer care.”
the campaign aims to raise questions about patient safety, spread awareness, and implement meaningful changes to create a safer space for canadians requiring both short-and long-term care.
canadian resource to prevent medical errors
along with providing a safe place for people to report misdiagnoses and medical errors in canada, the mederror site is also designed to equip individuals with the tools and resources needed to proactively ensure safe care.
until the healthcare system has caught up and made actionable changes in this arena, education surrounding one’s own health and how to approach it with their care providers is the next best thing.
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for people like melissa, who experienced the worst outcome imaginable because of a medication error, change is not optional: it’s a requirement to ensure that other families do not have to go through the same heartbreaking scenario that she and her loved ones experienced.
“consumer and caregiver reporting to mederror.ca provides essential information for our healthcare system,” said hoffman in a press release. “every report gives us insights into how to make medication use safer, and we’re confident that more people will share their stories with us so that others will not be harmed.”
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