20 Tips to Help Prevent
Medical Errors: Patient Fact Sheet
What You Can Do
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1 |
Be Involved in
Your Health Care |
The single most important way you can
help to prevent errors is to be an active member of your
health care team. |
That means taking part in every decision
about your health care. Research shows that patients who
are more involved with their care tend to get better results.
Some specific tips, based on the latest scientific evidence
about what works best, follow. |
2 |
Medicines |
Make sure that all of your doctors know
about everything you are taking. This includes prescription
and over-the-counter medicines, and dietary supplements
such as vitamins and herbs. |
At least once a year, bring all of your
medicines and supplements with you to your doctor. "Brown
bagging" your medicines can help you and your doctor talk
about them and find out if there are any problems. It
can also help your doctor keep your records up to date,
which can help you get better quality care. |
3 |
Make sure your doctor knows
about any allergies and adverse reactions you have had
to medicines. |
This can help you avoid getting
a medicine that can harm you. |
4 |
When your doctor writes you a prescription,
make sure you can read it. |
If you can't read your doctor's handwriting,
your pharmacist might not be able to either. |
5 |
Ask for information about your medicines
in terms you can understand-both when your medicines are
prescribed and when you receive them. |
What is the medicine for?
How am I supposed to take it, and for how long?
What side effects are likely?
What do I do if they occur?
Is this medicine safe to take with other medicines
or dietary supplements I am taking?
What food, drink, or activities should I avoid while
taking this medicine?
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6 |
When you pick up your medicine from the
pharmacy, ask: Is this the medicine that my doctor prescribed? |
A study by the Massachusetts College of
Pharmacy and Allied Health Sciences found that 88 percent
of medicine errors involved the wrong drug or the wrong
dose. |
7 |
If you have any questions about the
directions on your medicine labels, ask. |
Medicine labels can be hard to understand.
For example, ask if "four doses daily" means taking a
dose every 6 hours around the clock or just during regular
waking hours. |
8 |
Ask your pharmacist for the best device
to measure your liquid medicine. Also, ask questions if
you're not sure how to use it. |
Research shows that many people do not understand
the right way to measure liquid medicines. For example,
many use household teaspoons, which often do not hold
a true teaspoon of liquid. Special devices, like marked
syringes, help people to measure the right dose. Being
told how to use the devices helps even more. |
9 |
Ask for written information about the
side effects your medicine could cause. |
If you know what might happen, you will
be better prepared if it does-or, if something unexpected
happens instead. That way, you can report the problem
right away and get help before it gets worse. A study
found that written information about medicines can help
patients recognize problem side effects and then give
that information to their doctor or pharmacist. |
10 |
Hospital
Stays |
If you have a choice, choose a hospital
at which many patients have the procedure or surgery you
need. |
Research shows that patients tend to have
better results when they are treated in hospitals that
have a great deal of experience with their condition.
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11 |
If you are in a hospital, consider asking
all healthcare workers who have direct contact with you
whether they have washed their hands. |
Handwashing is an important way to prevent
the spread of infections in hospitals. Yet, it is not
done regularly or thoroughly enough. A recent study found
that when patients checked whether healthcare workers
washed their hands, the workers washed their hands more
often and used more soap. |
12 |
When you are being discharged from the
hospital, ask your doctor to explain the treatment plan
you will use at home. This includes learning about your
medicines and finding out when you can get back to your
regular activities. |
Research shows that at discharge time, doctors
think their patients understand more than they really
do about what they should or should not do when they return
home. |
13 |
Surgery |
If you are having surgery, make sure
that you, your doctor, and your surgeon all agree and
are clear on exactly what will be done. |
Doing surgery at the wrong site (for example,
operating on the left knee instead of the right) is rare.
But even once is too often. The good news is that wrong-site
surgery is 100 percent preventable. The American Academy
of Orthopaedic Surgeons urges its members to sign their
initials directly on the site to be operated on before
the surgery. |
14 |
Other
Steps You Can Take |
Speak up if you have questions or concerns.
|
You have a right to question anyone who
is involved with your care. |
15 |
Make sure that someone, such as your
personal doctor, is in charge of your care. |
This is especially important if you have
many health problems or are in a hospital. |
16 |
Make sure that all health professionals
involved in your care have important health information
about you. |
Do not assume that everyone knows everything
they need to. |
17 |
Ask a family member or friend to be there
with you and to be your advocate (someone who can help
get things done and speak up for you if you can't). |
Even if you think you don't need help now,
you might need it later. |
18 |
Know that "more" is not always better. |
It is a good idea to find out why a test
or treatment is needed and how it can help you. You could
be better off without it. |
19 |
If you have a test, don't assume that
no news is good news. |
Ask about the results. |
20 |
Learn about your condition and treatments
by asking your doctor and nurse and by using other reliable
sources. |
For example, treatment recommendations based
on the latest scientific evidence are available from the
National Guidelines ClearinghouseT at http://www.guideline.gov.
Ask your healthcare provider if your treatment is based
on the latest evidence. |
Agency for Healthcare
Research and Quality (AHRQ). (2000). 20 Tips to Help
Prevent Medical Errors. Patient Fact Sheet. AHRQ Publication
No. 00-PO38, Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality,
Rockville, MD. Retrieved May, 2006 at http://www.ahrq.gov/consumer/20tips.htm.
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