The decision to employ more pharmacy technicians and fewer pharmacists comes from the top (above the pharmacists), but pharmacists still have to do their job diligently. It doesn’t seem fair that pharmacists have to take responsibility for everyone else’s actions behind the pharmacy counter, but they do.
Pharmacists are there to supervise and double check the work of pharmacy technicians. If pharmacists do not catch a medication mistake made by a technician, that pharmacist may take the heat. Pharmacists have way more schooling, education, training, and experience than technicians, and they are ultimately responsible for every order that leaves the pharmacy.
They are supposed to thoroughly check every prescription for accuracy before it ever gets into a patient’s hands. However, because of distractions, their work environment, or the fact they are too busy, mistakes slip through the cracks. Sometimes, pharmacists would have been able to catch mistakes if they would have counseled the patient or followed the procedures that are in place. When they fail to do these things, they are also at fault for the technician’s mistake. Even if you are certain that the technician made the mistake, pharmacists are superior to technicians and ultimately are liable for any pharmacy error that occurs on their watch.
Please call us to discuss your situation and speak with a qualified pharmacy error lawyer at Kennedy Hodges, L.L.P. at 888-526-7616 during a free, no-obligation case consultation and also request a FREE copy of our report, How to Make Pharmacies Pay for Injuries Caused by Medication Errors.
