For Patients and Families
2. Make sure every health care team member who cares for you checks your identification bracelet.
3. Give your health care team the full information about your health history, any medications you take, your personal habits- like alcohol use or smoking, your diet, and any allergies that you might have.
4. Try to relax and trust that you are in good hands.
5. Keep track of information in a Care Journal or notebook.The Speak Up™ Program from the Joint Commission Speak Up™ encourages patients and their families to be active members of the healthcare team.
Click here to read their practical advice.
Read brochures on specific safety topics here.
As of August 2009, there was a new component of Speak Up™ that focuses on empowering parents to be health care advocates for their children.
Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ)
AHRQ has developed a list of 20 tips to help patients prevent medical errors.
Click to read their tips.
More safety resources for patients are publicly available on their website.
Pre-Operative Anesthesia Checklist
Are you or a family member planning for an upcoming surgery? Henry Rosenberg, MD, President of the Malignant Hyperthermia Association of the United States and Dale Ann Micalizzi, Founder and Executive Director of Justin’s HOPE developed a checklist to help you prepare for safe anesthesia administration. The checklist provides both questions to ask and information to share with your healthcare provider.
Download the Pre-Op Anaesthesia Checklist
Useful Websites
Campaign Zero
www.campaignzero.org
Resources and tools for families to help to prevent medical error, ensure hospital safety, avoid medication error, infections and surgical errors.
Drugwatch.com
Comprehensive Website featuring extensive information about medications, drug interactions, and drug side effects.
Empowered Patient Coalition
www.empoweredpatientcoalition.org
This website, the work of patient advocates Helen Haskell and Julia Hallisy, offers great resources for patients.
Informed Patient Institute
www.informedpatientinstitute.org
IPI rates the usefulness of online health care report cards.
Consumer Safety
We provide consumers with the information to lead safe, healthy and happy lives.