PT - JOURNAL ARTICLE ED - Vidt, Donald G. AU - Edward H. Jones AU - Rex Speerhas TI - How physicians can prevent medication errors: practical strategies DP - 1997 Jul 01 TA - Cleveland Clinic Journal of Medicine PG - 355--359 VI - 64 IP - 7 4099 - http://www.ccjm.org/content/64/7/355.short 4100 - http://www.ccjm.org/content/64/7/355.full SO - Cleve Clin J Med1997 Jul 01; 64 AB - 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.