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New Online Brochure Hopes to Get Patients More
Involved in Protecting Themselves
March 11, 2005 As studies continue to point out
the high rate of medical errors and their devastating affect on millions
of senior citizens, many groups are making an effort to get patients
more involved in protecting themselves. There is a new patient safety
check list being made available on line by the New Jersey Hospital
Associations Quality Institute.
An average of 195,000 Medicare patients in the U.S.
died due to potentially preventable, in-hospital medical errors in each
of the years 2000, 2001 and 2002, according to a study of 37 million
patient records that was released last July by HealthGrades, the healthcare quality company.
(to read this story - click here)
More than 2.3 million drug-related errors adversely
affect older Americans each year, often resulting in rush trips to the
emergency room, expensive hospitalization. (read this story -
click here)
As part of its continuing mission to improve
patient safety and quality of care, the New Jersey organization says
they want this consumer brochure to get patients more involved in their
own health care decisions.
Medical errors can occur anywhere in the health
care system, and most of them result from a breakdown in communication
between health care providers and patients, they say.
This brochure will help patients become active
participants in their own health care with the right to take part in
every decision. A wallet size Medication Card is also included with the
brochure.
Below this story is a sample from the brochure on
Medications.
> To view the brochure copy in your browser
Click Here
> To print the brochure from pdf file
Click Here
> To view the Medication Card in your browser
Click Here
> To print the Medication Card from pdf file
Click Here
In addition, NJHA Quality Institute is offering a limited supply of the
printed brochure to any community groups, employers and healthcare
organizations that are interested. To order the brochure in bulk, please
call Kim Hewitson at 609-275-4145.
The Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare
Organizations has also launched its own national campaign called "Speak
Up," which is one of its safety initiatives. As part of this initiative,
JCAHO has created a consumer brochure entitled "Things You Can Do to
Prevent Mistakes." You can download a copy of their brochure at
http://www.jcaho.com/general+public/gp+speak+up/index.htm.
Based in Princeton, NJHA has been providing its 109
members with advocacy, information, research and education since 1918.
Manage Your Medicines
■ Make sure that all of your doctors know about
everything you are taking. This includes prescriptions, over-the-counter
medications and dietary or nutritional supplements such as vitamins and
herbs. Its a good idea to put everything into a brown bag once a year
and take it with you to an appointment so your doctor can review them.
This is especially important if you are receiving
care from several physicians who may not know what the other physicians
are prescribing for you.
■ Keep a list of the medicines you are taking and
the phone numbers of your physician(s) in your wallet so that it is
readily available at all times.
■ Make sure your doctor knows about any allergies
and adverse reactions you have had to medicines.
■ Dont stop taking medicines or change dosages
because of side effects without first consulting with your physician.
■ When your doctor writes a prescription for you,
ask that the purpose for the medication be included on the form, and
make sure you can read the prescription.
If you cant read it, your pharmacist might not be
able to read it either.
■ Ask your physician and your pharmacist to include
both the generic as well as the trade name for the drug on the
prescription bottle, and that no abbreviations be used in the directions
for taking.
■ Ask for information about your medicines in terms
you can understand. Its OK to be curious!
◆ What is the medicine for?
◆ How will I know it is working?
◆ How am I supposed to take it?
◆ What are the side effects I should be aware of,
and what do I do if I believe I am having any? Insist on getting this
information in writing so that you can refer to it later if you have any
problems.
◆ Do I take this before or after meals, with or
without food? Are there any foods or activities I should avoid while
taking this medicine?
◆ Is there a certain time when it is best to take
this medicine?
◆ What happens if I forget to take it?
◆ How should I store this medicine?
Its a good idea to always use a single pharmacy
for filling your prescriptions so that the pharmacist can double check
for potential drug interactions. If the prescription is for a small
child, know their weight and let the pharmacist know. When you pick up
the medicine from the pharmacist, read the labels and make sure it is
the right medicine for you and that you understand the instructions.
If you are unsure of anything, have the pharmacist
call your physician and verify the medicine and why you are taking it.
Many medical errors are caused by the wrong medicine or the wrong dose.
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