Courtesy of Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), here are some ways you can get involved in your medical care and help avoid medication errors.
· Be an active member of your care team.
· Tell your doctor about everything you are taking, including drugs (prescription/over the counter) and vitamins or herbs.
· Tell your doctor about allergies or adverse reactions you have to medicines.
· Make sure you can read the prescription your doctor gives you.
· Ask for information about your medicines in terms you can understand.
· 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 I get side effects?
· Is this medicine safe to take with other medicines or vitamins?
· What food, drink, or activities should I avoid?
- When discharged from the hospital, ask your doctor to explain the treatment plan you will use at home.
- Speak up and ask questions.
- Ask a family member or friend to be with you and be your advocate and speak up for you if you cannot.
- Know that “more” is not always better.
- Learn about your condition and treatment by asking your doctors, nurses and other reliable resources.
Speak Up
Everyone has a role in making health care safe--including the patient. The "Speak Up" program sponsored by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations, urges patients to get involved in their care.
- S - Speak up if you have questions or concerns, and if you do not understand something, ask again. It's your body and you have a right to know.
- P - Pay attention to the care you are receiving. Make sure that you are getting the right treatments and medications by the right healthcare professionals. Do not assume anything.
- E - Educate yourself about your diagnosis, the medical tests you are undergoing, and your treatment plans.
- A - Ask a trusted family member of friend to be your advocate.
- K - Know what medications you take and why you take them. Medication errors are the most common health care mistake.
- U - Use a hospital, clinic, surgery center, or other type of health care organization that has undergone a rigorous on-site evaluation against established, state-of-the-art quality and safety standards, such as that provided by JCAHO.
- P - Participate in all decisions about your treatment. You are the center of the health care team.