Pharmacists are medical professionals who, like doctors and nurses, owe patients a duty to provide an acceptable level of medical care. While medical professionals are not expected to be error-proof in their judgment, it is expected that they do not make careless mistakes, which can have a significant impact on a patient’s life. When a pharmacist incorrectly fills a prescription, and a patient is harmed as a result, the injured patient may be able to pursue a New Hampshire medical malpractice case against the pharmacist, as well as the pharmacy that employs them.
Recently, a New Hampshire man filed a claim against a hospital pharmacy that he claims was responsible for his ongoing kidney stones. According to a local news report, the man had a procedure to remove kidney stones at Concord Hospital Center. After the hospital discharged the patient, he was issued a prescription for “Potassium Citrate ER 10 MEQ (1080mg) CR-TABS” with instructions to take two of the pills per day.
The hospital printed out the prescription, and the patient took it to a satellite location. Despite being provided with the correct prescription, the pharmacist on duty filled the patient’s prescription with “Potassium CL 10 MEQ 120.” It is disputed as to how the prescription was transferred, but the patient claims the hospital pharmacy called in the prescription to a local Rite-Aid. The hospital pharmacy admits that it incorrectly filled the prescription, but denies that it transferred the prescription to the Rite-Aid pharmacy. Regardless, the prescription ended up at a Rite-Aid, which filled the prescription seven times.