Misrepresentation of a medical study is unfair to me (and you), the patient.

This is what you see when you click on this well-known, well-read blog. 

"How medication mistakes happen in the hospital"

Here is what you see when you click on the original article.  Same article, just a different title:

When Asked, Patients Can't Tell

By Katrina Woznicki, Contributing Writer, MedPage Today
Published: December 10, 2009
Reviewed by Zalman S. Agus, MD; Emeritus Professor
University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine and
Dorothy Caputo, MA, RN, BC-ADM, CDE, Nurse Planner

Now, what does the original study really say?

"Lack of patient knowledge regarding hospital medications^"

I posted a comment (as of yet not approved by the moderator, probably due to the late hour):

The original study report may be found here: http://bit.ly/8Dtzv1
This article by Ms. Woznicki does not clearly identify the nature of the study and the findings. According to the study, these were meds given IN THE HOSPITAL. It clearly indicates a reason for INCLUDING THE PATIENT, not incriminating the patient!

“Without a system to incorporate the patient into hospital medication management, these patients will be disenfranchised from participating in inpatient medication safety. These results are a call to reexamine how we educate and involve patients regarding hospital medications. Mechanisms to allow patients to provide feedback to the medical team on their hospital medications might identify errors or improve patient satisfaction with their care. However, the systems and cultural changes needed to provide education on inpatient medications are considerable. Future research is needed to determine if increasing patient knowledge regarding their hospital medications would reduce medication errors in the inpatient setting and how this could be effectively implemented.”

To me, this also points out why we need to be careful of 2nd/3rd party “interpretations” of studies which are done.

The problems I see (and I'm assuming you are able to read all three, so won't "read" for you):

1. The title of the original Medscape article has been changed on the blog and is misleading
2. The Medscape article did not represent well the original study
3. The original study actually shows the need for further informing/involving of the patient.

How did a decent study get turned around into something I clearly believe it did not show?  And do the authors of the original study realize this has happened?

As a patient, I'm tired of misrepresentation for any reason, and especially to get headlines.  Most of all, things like this from well-known "experts", even inadvertently, have severe repercussions for me, the patient.  It's time we stood our ground on this.  Patients aren't stupid.  We can read.

BTW, this is another reason patients need to read the original studies and have access to them.

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