Warning about software errors: Danger in medication dosage
The National Association of Statutory Health Insurance Physicians (KBV) has issued an important warning for medical practices in Germany. There are technical problems with the software that doctors use to manage their patients. When a digital medication plan is read into the system, errors can occur during the transfer of data.
The so-called federal medication plan (BMP) is actually intended to help document all of a patient's medications safely. However, errors are currently occurring when importing this data into the practice software. This means that the computer program could display incorrect information about the amount or the time of medication intake.
These technical errors pose a risk to patient health. If a doctor relies on the data in their computer without verification, the patient may receive the wrong dose. A dosage of medication that is too high or too low can have dangerous side effects or prevent healing.
The KBV therefore advises all doctors to exercise particular caution. They should carefully check the automatically transferred data in the system and compare it with the patient's printed plan. At the moment, one cannot rely blindly on technology to guarantee patient safety.
Software manufacturers are now being called upon to correct the errors in their programs as quickly as possible. Until a technical update is available, manual checks in practices remain indispensable. Patients can also help by asking their doctor directly if they have any uncertainties about their medication.