November/December 2003
Page 7
How To Prevent Medical Errors
1. Get involved with your medical care and you will get better results.
2. Be certain your Doctor knows about all the medications you are taking including over-the-counter medicines, supplements, herbs and prescriptions.
3. Inform your Doctor of all allergies and adverse reactions to medications.
4. Make sure you can read a prescription.
5. Ask for information about your medications in terms you can understand.
6. Make sure the pharmacy gives you the medicine that was prescribed.
7. Ask questions about directions e.g. Does 4 doses mean just in daytime or around the clock?
8. Ask the pharmacist for best device to measure liquid medication.
9. Ask for written information about side effects.
10. Don't hesitate to ask hospital workers to wash their hands.
11. If you have a choice, choose a hospital and a surgeon that does a lot of surgery you need.
12. On discharge from hospital be sure you understand your home treatment plan.
13. Be sure that you know and agree about what exactly will be done in your surgery.
14. Speak up if you have concerns.
15. Make sure that someone, such as your personal doctor, is in charge of your care if you have multiple health concerns.
16. Don't assume health professionals know everything you do about your care.
17. Ask a family member to speak for you when you cannot.
18. Find out if you would be better off without certain treatments or tests.
19. Don't assume that no news about a test is good news.
20. Be informed about your condition and treatment. An informed, involved patient is a better patient.
Source: Ottawa Ostomy News - October 2003, via Inside Out On-line Nov/Dec 2003.
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