Why is it absolutely critical for hospital, outpatient, and retail pharmacies to have the best pharmacy POS systems? Reliable pharmacy point of sale systems and the thorough training and registration of pharmacy technicians can, in some cases, mean the difference between life and death — and, for one little girl who nearly survived cancer, it did. Who is Emily Jerry, what happened to her, and how can U.S. pharmacies prevent similar tragedies?
What is Emily Jerry’s Tragic Story?
When Emily was just one and a half years old, doctors gave Chris Jerry and his family some very sobering news. Doctors diagnosed Emily with cancer. “The tumor was the size of a grapefruit inside her tiny little abdomen,” Jerry writes on The Emily Jerry Foundation, a website he created in her honor. In a surprising twist of fate, Emily responded incredibly well to chemotherapy. In six months, her cancer was — to all appearances — gone. Her doctor recommend a final round of chemo, just to make certain the tumor had truly vanished. The final treatment killed Emily.
Two things killed Emily: a failing hospital system and a negligent pharmacy technician. The hospital’s electronic system failed the night before Emily’s treatment, which may have affected the pharmacy’s stock of prepared chemotherapy bags. A pharmacy tech prepared one by hand instead. His custom bag contained 23.4% sodium chloride — a deadly overdose — when it should have contained less than 1%. The man served several years in prison after Emily’s death.
Important Changes Can Put An End to “Senseless and Preventable” Deaths
“My beautiful Emily’s death was senseless and preventable,” Jerry says. Jerry continues traveling all over the country, urging pharmacies to reconsider practices that may ultimately be fatal. With the best pharmacy POS systems, reliable monitoring systems, and extensive training for all pharmacy staff, pharmacies can easily save lives.
Emily’s death was preventable, and — with some critical changes — American pharmacies can make sure it doesn’t happen again.