BE A SMARTER PATIENT*

Strategies To Avoid Becoming a Victim Of A Medical Error Or Oversight..SEE BOTTOM OF THIS PAGE FOR REASON(S) WHY YOU "MUST" GET INVOLVED

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Be Sure To Inform ( Tell ) Doctor About Medication(s) You Are Taking That wereprescribed By other Doctors You Had Visited Since Your Last Visit To His... the "present" Doctors Office. Information MustInclude Drugs That Caused you Problems.

Get Informed !!*  Patients Need To Really Understand Their Medical Condition, says Caril Ley, M.D.,Vice-Chair of the National Patient Safety Foundation(NPSF ).Read up On Your in Illness in literaturefrom your doctor or on the internet. ( BUT, keep in mind that there could be unreliable medical informationon line )

* Develope Good Communication With Your Doctor  Inform your physician of your medical concerns, your allergies, all medicines and Dietary suppliments nbsp;your taking And any Special Diet you'refollowing. * Don't Hesitate To Ask Questions

*Don't Go Alone  You Should Bring a Family Member Or Friend with you to Important Doctors appoinments to ask questions you may not think of, help interpret the doctors' comments and providesupport.

*Seek Another Opinion If Diagnosed With a Life Threatening Illness or Undergoing surgery, get a second opinion, Ley says. ( Check your insurance policy to make sure it's covered)

*Track Your Medical History Ask Your doctor for copies of your medical records. Bring Them along whenever you go to see( visit ) another doctor.

Know Your Medication  When The Doctor gives you a prescription,*write down The Name Of The Drug How and when to take it... and for how long; What To Avoid...and, if doctor knows of any SideEffects Before you leave the doctors office!!. You should also ask your Druggist when you have theprescription filled

Ask the Doctor To -- Please-- Spell The Name Of The Drug He has Prescribed.  Newspapers & Television Harolds The Problem(s) Druggest Have with The Similarity In the Names Of Drug And in Reading the Doctors Hand Writing

Always Ask The Druggest  What Drugs... Prescribed Or Over The Counter... That You Can't Take with This Prescription. Particularly if you are taking medication that contains Asperin. For more on "WhatYou Should Ask and Tell The Druggest/Doctor"  Click here

Be Sure To Read The Label On The Prescription Container AND The Accompanying " Your Personal Prescription Information " Sheet That's provided with the Medication.

Set Up a Medication Folder In Your Word Processor.If You Do Not have A Computer, Use A Note Pad, Whatever, Page Author.. and his wife...maintain a listing of...All medication...doctors have prescribed...with" Side Effects Noted " for many years. On Occasions where visits to a New Doctors office or Going IntoHospital is required, a copy of the Medication list is handed to Anesthesiologist... Assisting Doctors, plus a copy is given to Hospital Admitting personnel for attachment to records. Listing Contains:Date, Doctors Name, Medication ( Complete Description )...Why It Was Prescribed.. Side Effects, If any.

PARADE Health Editor Dr. Isadore Rosenfeld recommends taking the following precautions if you require hospitalization.

Thousands of people die every year due to medical mistakes. 

Hospitals are doing what they can by introducing new, fool-proof computerized technology and training their personnel. But you can"You Must"*  play a key role in ensuring your own safety during treatment. Here’s what you can do:

Ask about the hospital. Hospitalization is often an emergency. You may not have the time or luxury to inquire about the patient-nurse ratio or how many of the procedures that you will undergo have been successful at that particular institution. So plan ahead: Ask your own doctor to which hospital he would send you, research its track record and assess if it’s the best one for you.

Designate an advocate. In many emergency situations, you can’t call the shots. You may be unconscious, confused or too sick to know what’s going on. Designate a friend or relative to represent you and act on your behalf. Make these arrangements in advance and in writing. Be sure your designee is someone who is willing and able to assume that responsibility.

Know your pills. Ask for a printed list of all your medications and the dosages, how often you must take them and who prescribed them. Was it your doctor or a hospital resident? If it was the latter, make sure your doctor agrees. Every time you’re handed a medication, ask for its name and check it against your prescription list.

Don’t rely on appearances. Different brands and generics have varying colors and shapes. Make sure the pill you’re given is for you and not your roommate. If you had a bad reaction to a medication, tell the nurse and doctor before taking it again.

Check "Hand-Washing". Doctors usually wash their hands after seeing a patient. That’s mainly for their own protection. But it’s important for doctors to wash their hands before examining you for your protection. Most hospital rooms now have a washbasin in the entry to each patient’s room. When health-care providers enter your room, pay attention to whether they wash their hands—and comment if necessary.

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