pharmacist ignored. The nurses over-road the alert and gave several
doses of the seizure medication until the error was discovered 48
hours later.
Human touch. Lastly, let's not forget about patient communica-
tion. With EHRs, it's easy to bury your nose in the computer and
ignore the patient. Maintain as much eye contact as possible, and talk
with patients before you enter information into the EHR. It helps to
keep your head on a swivel, so you can alternate between documenta-
tion and conversation. Patients can resent the focus on the computer
and the perceived inattention to them.
5
Medical Malpractice
MM
2 8 • O U T PA T I E N T S U R G E R Y M A G A Z I N E • O C T O B E R 2 0 1 8
Patients can dispose of excess pre-
scription painkillers in community
drop boxes or flush the leftovers
down the toilet, but we found an
easier and safer way: a drug deac-
tivation bag that contains organic
additives that render medications
useless (osmag.net/DTPdj8). After
use, patients just toss the bag in
the regular trash. We give a bag to every patient to whom we pre-
scribe post-op opioids. It's a small step that could make a big differ-
ence in helping to curb the opioid crisis.
Michael Englesbe, MD, FACS
Michigan Opioid Prescribing Engagement Network
Ann Arbor, Mich.
englesbe@med.umich.edu
How Do Your Patients Dispose Of Their Leftover Pain Pills?
• WASTE DISPOSAL Patients can place leftover pills in
a deactivation bag and then toss it in the regular trash.
Michigan
Opioid
Prescribing
Engagement
Network
PATIENT SAFETY
