The following article, written by NCATL President Rebecca Britton, was published in the Fayetteville Observer on February 6, 2007.   As you plan your next presentation at a civic group or community meeting the Academy hopes you consider sharing the below tips regarding hospital stay safety as a public service.

By Rebecca J. Britton
Fayetteville

With articles over the past several months about Cape Fear Valley Medical Center, it is important to consider the state of our health-care system nationally. While Cape Fear Valley certainly has issues to address, it is not alone. In 2004, HealthGrades studied Medicare patients in all 50 states and found that nearly 200,000 Americans died each year in 2000, 2001 and 2002 due to in-hospital medical errors. That staggering statistic makes hospital errors one of the top 10 causes of death in our country.

Among the roots of this problem are staffing and budget shortages and, in some cases, inadequate training or individual failure to follow established protocols and safety systems. For example, last summer at Methodist Hospital in Indianapolis, two babies were given 1,000 times the proper dose of a blood-thinning drug and it killed them. Medical professionals and hospitals are trying to find ways to prevent these errors. Meanwhile, here are a few tips to keep in mind when you or a loved one is hospitalized:

• Keep a “cheat sheet.”

Keep a card in your wallet with the name and number of your family doctor, any other doctors you see and your pharmacy. Include a list of any conditions you have and any medicines you take, with the dosages (include any vitamins, supplements or herbal remedies). List in red any allergies you have to medicines or foods.

• Have someone there.

That person should be prepared to advocate, ask questions and politely push for answers. That person should be on top of what the patient needs for comfort and willing to voice it to health-care providers if the patient is unable to do so. It is wise to designate one person to communicate with providers. It can become very confusing for the patient, family and for providers when several people are trying to communicate separately about a patient.

• Ask questions/seek explanations.

Don’t be afraid to ask questions. A patient is entitled to understand the proposed treatment and why it is recommended. The best way to make intelligent choices about the care you or your loved one receive is to make sure your care providers answer your questions and explain things so you can understand.

• Keep notes.

Notes will help you remember what you have been told, what treatments you have had and what problems, concerns or questions you have for the doctors. Notes will help you to inform one doctor of what another may have told you. Notes will also help you answer the many questions your family may have.

• Wrist bands are important!

Patients wear wrist bands for good reason — so they can be identified. When a health-care provider enters the room to give treatment, make sure they check the wrist band and confirm they are giving it to the right patient. This is important for medicines, therapies, tests and any kind of care.

• Double-check medicines.

A patient is entitled to have medication explained and to know what they are being given. Before taking any pills, or receiving shots or IV drip medication, make sure the care provider explains what specific medicines is being given and what it is for. A good percentage of deaths due to hospital errors involve medication. For this reason, always know what a care provider is giving you or your loved one.

• Have you washed your hands?

Many hospitals have cans of sanitizer attached to the walls outside of hospital rooms and at various places around the hospital. A very good reason for this hand-washing is that a percentage of in-hospital complications and deaths involve infections. Do not be afraid to ask health-care providers if they have washed their hands.

• Tests and test results.

When a test is performed, do not assume “no news is good news.” It could also mean that someone failed to print the results, failed to notify anyone of the results, or assumed someone else checked the results. If the doctor has not mentioned the results of a test that has been performed, ask.

• Do not be afraid to complain.

Patients have a right to expect good care. If patients are having problems with a health-care providers not being responsive to their needs, they or their advocates can speak to the head nurse. If no satisfaction comes from that effort, the next level is usually “patient relations.” If “patient relations” is not responsive, the next level usually is hospital administration.

When you or your loved one is being discharged from the hospital, this is one of the most important times to ask questions and get answers.

• Make sure you understand the doctor’s discharge instructions.
• Whom do you have to see for follow-up treatment?
• What medicines are you supposed to take or stop taking? Should you continue taking anything you took prior to your admission to the hospital? Can you can take anything else with these medicines (i.e., vitamins, herbal remedies, over-the-counter medicines)?
• If you are not sure you can take care of yourself once you get home, make sure you speak up and either have someone stay with you or explore the possibility of some form of home health care, outpatient rehabilitation or physical or occupational therapy.
• Make sure you understand what supplies or equipment you may need and how to get them.
• Do not hesitate to call your doctor or go back to the hospital if you start feeling worse after you get home.

It is important to remember that you are part of your health-care team and you have the highest stake in the team’s performance! Take an active role in your care or have an advocate there to do so for you. By being engaged in your care and expecting care providers to be engaged as well, you can take part in making your stay in the hospital a safer one.