How physicians can prevent medication errors: practical strategies

To eliminate and reduce medication errors, health care organizations must develop a consistent approach that allows examination of errors in a supportive atmosphere with a bias toward preventing future errors rather than punishing past ones. Until improved systems are in place, physicians can help prevent many of the most serious medication errors by observing some basic safety practices, such as writing orders whenever possible and limiting verbal orders to urgent or emergency situations, writing clearly and neatly, and avoiding abbreviations.