What Are the Five Steps to Safer
Health Care?
Medical error and patient safety aren’t well understood by
most Americans. When we need vital or risky health care
services, we want to believe someone else has made
sure that we’ll get safe care. Sadly, every hour, 10 Amer-
icans die in a hospital due to avoidable errors; another 50 are
disabled. Too many patients get the wrong medicines, the
wrong tests and the wrong diagnosis. By asking questions,
learning more and understanding your risks, you can
improve the safety of your own health care, and that of your
family members. Take these simple steps:
1. Speak up if you have questions or concerns. Choose a
doctor who you feel comfortable talking to about your
health and treatment. Take a relative or friend with you if
this will help you ask questions and understand the answers.
It’s okay to ask questions and to expect answers you can
understand.
2. Keep a list of all the medicines you take. Tell your
doctor and pharmacist about the medicines you take,
including over-the-counter medicines such as aspirin and
ibuprofen, and dietary supplements such as vitamins and
herbals. Tell them about any drug allergies you have. Ask
the pharmacist about side effects and what foods or other
things to avoid while taking the medicine. When you get
your medicine, read the label, including warnings. Make
sure it is what your doctor ordered and you know how to use
it. If the medicine looks different than you expected, ask the
pharmacist about it.
3. Make sure you get the results of any test or procedure.
Ask your doctor or nurse when and how you will get the
results of tests or procedures. If you do not get them when
expected — in person, on the phone, or in the mail — don’t
assume the results are fine. Call your doctor and ask for
them. Ask what the results mean for your care.
4. Talk with your doctor and health care team about
your options if you need hospital care. If you have more
than one hospital to choose from, ask your doctor which one
has the best care and results for your condition. Hospitals do
a good job of treating a wide range of problems. However,
for some procedures (such as heart bypass surgery), research
shows results often are better at hospitals doing a lot of these
procedures. Also, before you leave the hospital, be sure to
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