26 Sep. 10
Self-medication is very bad press. There is a constant preaching about its dangers, and now they have issued measures to ensure that pharmacies will not sell without prescription. It is understood that the American Medical Association has the same posicióny defend the lucrative monopoly of its members, but not in Mexico's Ministry of Health pursues self-medication, rather than strengthen it.
self-medication errors abound, but medical errors. In the United States, according to Consumer Reports on Health ("How to Prevent drug errors", June 2010), there are at least 1.5 millionmedication errors per year (apart from surgery, etc.). The carelessness of doctors and pharmacies, the similar names of different drugs and doctors' bad handwriting leads to the patient takes the wrong thing. One oversight is that doctors often ignore the other drugs the patient is taking, or allergies. And no shortage of doctors who prescribe antibiotics for the flu, like anybody else, but antibiotics will not help. Is there, then that issue measures for doctors not to prescribe?
Given the low coverage of medical services in M & eacuI, Mexico, self-medication is inevitable and it makes sense to improve its quality. This was realized many years ago when he came to David Werner a remote village of Sinaloa and saw that it was only practical home remedies to improve. Ended up writing Where there is no doctor. A guide for farmers who live far from medical centers, which has been reissued, expanded and translated for the rural promoters of many countries. His book has inspired others: Where There Is No Dentist, Where Women Have No Doctor, and so on. Are aimed at marginalized communities (hundreds of millions of people) are responsible for their own health, as they have alwaysIndeed, but with better results. The books can be purchased or downloaded for free in electronic versions, thanks to the Hesperian Foundation ( www.hesperian.org ).
Self-medication should also be supported where there are doctors themselves, but not easy to consult, for any reason. Millions of policyholders who pay their contributions to the IMSS or ISSSTE prefer not to use medical services (not analysis and hospitalizations). About a third of those attending the clinics of the Ministry of Health, parishes and voluntary groups are insured do not want to go to insurance. Others go to the chemist Similar clinics have attached barin charge of their own health which includes, of course, consult doctors when necessary. Health is a way of being: the exercise of autonomy can recognize and correct its own problems. To support this capacity, easier and cheaper it would be a freephone number where they could receive professional guidance at any time. Should be capable of taking millions of calls per day (patients, outreach workers, teachers, pharmacists, nurses and physicians) with the best call center technology, well designed questionnaires, access to information line (not just MedlinePlus and the like, but "expert systems"to process the information gathered in the questionnaires to the data system to integrate diagnostics and recommendations) and dial-up specialists.
In the United States, there are companies that sell subscriptions telenursing: nurse practitioners who provide telephone consultations all at any time, from what to do at once, in an emergency, to tips on nutrition, home remedies or specialists should be consulted for certain symptoms. Many companies hire this service for their employees as a benefit of great value and low cost.
Nobody knows better than you what hurts the patient, and no one but the patient should decide. To multiply the resources to decide best: promoting emancipation, instead of imposing authoritarian prejudices. For example, putting on the web for what each medication, what side effects and dangers are, in what cases it is not recommended, etc. to defend themselves against medical errors and errors of self-medication. Facilitating the exchange of experiences among patients of the same. Creating portals like www.wrongdiagnosis.com
Source: Grupo Reforma, 26.sep.2010
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