Pharmacist Liability Claim Report: 2nd Edition

Key findings include:

• $25 million paid for pharmacist malpractice claims over the 5-year study period; up from $18 million paid during the 10-year study
• $124,407 average malpractice claim cost, up from $101,269 in the 2013 report, a 22.8% increase
• $5,349 average license defense cost, up from $3,685 in the 2013 report, a 45.2% increase
• Wrong drug and wrong dose continue to be the most common allegation, accounting for 52.1% of all pharmacist malpractice claims, a decrease from 75.3% in the 2013 report
• Gastrointestinal distress, infection/abscess, and death are the most frequent patient injuries of all closed claims analyzed in the report

Risk Control Spotlights:

• Communication
• Documentation
• License Protection
• Policies and Procedures
• Reporting an Incident
• Scope of Practice

Additional resources:

• Risk Management Self-Assessment Checklist for Pharmacists
• Institute for Safe Medication Practices (ISMP)
  • Medication Safety Self-Assessment for Community/Ambulatory Pharmacy (ISMP)
  • Targeted Medication Safety Best Practices for Hospitals (ISMP)
  • High Alert Medications in Community/Ambulatory Settings (ISMP)
  • High Alert Medication List: Relatively Useless Without Associated Risk-Reduction Strategies(ISMP)
  • Medication Errors Involving Overrides of Healthcare Technology (ISMP)
  • Guidelines for Safe Preparation of Compounded Sterile Preparation (ISMP)
  • Call to Action: Longstanding Strategies to Prevent Accidental Daily Methotrexate Dosing Must be Implemented (ISMP)
• Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ)
  • Alert Fatigue (AHRQ)
• Infection Control Assessment Tools (CDC)
• Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s National Helpline (SAMHSA)