Healthcare providers routinely ask patients about allergies for an important reason. A documented allergy can mean the difference between a safe course of treatment and a serious, potentially life-threatening medical emergency.
When providers fail to recognize, communicate or respect a patient’s known allergies, preventable injuries may occur.
What can happen?
A patient with a documented allergy to a specific antibiotic, pain medication or anesthesia drug should not receive that medication unless there is a medically appropriate reason and proper precautions have been taken. Administering a drug despite a clearly documented allergy can result in reactions ranging from skin rashes and swelling to anaphylaxis, a severe allergic response requiring immediate emergency treatment.
Communication failures are often at the center of allergy-related medical errors. A patient may report an allergy during admission, but the information may never reach the treating physician, pharmacist or nursing staff. Electronic medical records, handwritten notes and verbal handoffs all present opportunities for consequential information to be overlooked if proper protocols are not followed.
Even when patients effectively advocate for themselves, healthcare professionals have an independent responsibility to review medical records, verify allergies and exercise reasonable care before administering medications or performing procedures.
When a provider ignores documented allergies, fails to verify patient information or administers contraindicated medications without reasonable justification, any resulting injuries may potentially be actionable. If you or a loved one has suffered harm because healthcare providers failed to respect a known allergy, you may be entitled to compensation.