HLTH4110 Walden University Hospitals Patient Safety and Quality Paper

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HLTH4110

Walden University

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Harm Events in Your Area

Patient harm events happen at an alarming rate, but resources are available to consumers to help them make informed decisions about the care they receive. Being an informed consumer of health care will not only help you protect yourself, but your family and friends, as well. In the following assignment, you review patient safety and quality of care performance measures at institutions in your own area. You analyze the data for similarities and differences, in order to become a better health care consumer.

To prepare for this Assignment:

  • Review the Learning Resources for the last two weeks.
  • Research health care quality and safety at institutions in your area utilizing the following websites. If you do not live within the U.S., please choose a region of the country, and hospitals in that area. (Consult your professor if you are not in the U.S. and have trouble locating three hospitals.)
Medicare.gov: Hospital Compare

https://www.medicare.gov/hospitalcompare/search.html?


The Joint Commission: Quality Check


https://www.qualitycheck.org/


To complete this Assignment, write a 2- to 3-page paper that addresses the following:

  • Choose three hospitals in your area for which data exists in both websites. Identify three measures of patient quality and safety from the websites.
  • Compare and contrast each hospital's performance to the other hospitals within and between the two websites.
  • Provide possible explanations for any disparities and/or similarities in the records.
  • Analyze the most striking features of the statistics you reviewed.
  • Explain how you would use this information to make decisions about your own health care.

Your written assignments must follow APA guidelines. Be sure to support your work with specific citations from this week's Learning Resources and additional scholarly sources, as appropriate.


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Patient Safety Humans are flawed, and machines can fail. So, notwithstanding the best of intentions, adverse medical events can happen at any moment and in any setting. Often, the patient, patient advocate, or a family member can help minimize the chance of error by taking an active role in the patient's health care. This week, you examine how consumers can educate themselves about health care quality and safety performance at their local hospitals. In addition, you review tips and techniques to enable the patient, patient advocate, or family members to obtain more effective, efficient, and safer care. Learning Objectives By the end of this week, students will: Analyze how a patient can take responsibility for his or her own safety by questioning the care provider Analyze patient quality and safety of care data to make informed health care decisions Photo Credit: Christopher Futcher / E+ / Getty Images Learning Resources This page contains the Learning Resources for this week. Be sure to scroll down the page to see all of this week's assigned Learning Resources. Required Readings Introduction to healthcare quality management Chapter 2, "Quality Management Building Blocks" (pp. 13–16) Chapter 8, "Improving Patient Safety" National Quality Forum. (2008). Serious reportable events (SREs) transparency, accountability critical to reducing medical errors and harm. Retrieved from http://www.qualityforum.org/Publications/2008/10/Serious_Reportable_Events.aspx Serious Reportable Events (SREs) Transparency, Accountability Critical to Reducing Medical Errors and Harm (2008). Copyright 2008 by National Quality Forum. Used by permission. Iyer, P. (1/30/2012). Amanda Trujillo: Nurse fired for being a patient advocate. Retrieved from: http://www.truthaboutnursing.org/news/2012/may/trujillo.html The Joint Commission. (2009, November 27). Speak up: Tips for your doctor's visit. Retrieved from http://www.jointcommission.org/assets/1/18/speakup_doctors_visit.pdf "Tips for your Doctor's Visit," from SpeakUP. Copyright 2011 by The Joint Commission. Reprinted by permission. The Joint Commission. (2011, January 18). Speak up: Help prevent errors in your care. Retrieved from http://www.jointcommission.org/assets/1/6/speakup.pdf "Help Prevent Errors in your Care," from SpeakUP. Copyright 2011 by The Joint Commission. Reprinted by permission. The Joint Commission. (2009, July 21). To prevent health care errors, patients are urged to...SPEAK UP. Retrieved from http://www.jointcommission.org/assets/1/18/IC_Poster.pdf The Joint Commission. (July 21, 2009). Speak Up: Help Prevent Errors in Your Care (Poster). In The Joint Commission. Retrieved March 18, 2011, from http://www.jointcommission.org/assets/1/18/SpeakUp_Poster.pdf. Medicare.gov: Hospital Compare The Joint Commission: Quality Check Required Media The Joint Commission. (2011, March 7). Speak up: Prevent errors in your care [Video podcast]. Retrieved from http://www.jointcommission.org/multimedia/speak-up-prevent-errors-in-yourcare-/ Note: The approximate length of this media piece is 1 minute. This brief animated message was produced by The Joint Commission as part of its "Speak Up" series. This video encourages patients to ask questions about their medical care. Accessible player The Joint Commission (Producers). (2011). Speak Up: Prevent errors in your care. [Streaming Video]. Available from http://www.jointcommission.org/ The Joint Commission. (2011, April 5). Speak up: Prevent the spread of infection [Video podcast]. Retrieved from http://www.jointcommission.org/multimedia/speak-up--prevent-thespread-of-infection/ Note: The approximate length of this media piece is 1 minute. Another episode in The Joint Commission's "Speak Up" series, this video underscores the importance of taking an active and vocal role to help prevent the spread of infections. Accessible player The Joint Commission (Producers). (2011). Speak Up: Prevent the spread of infection. [Streaming Video]. Available from http://www.jointcommission.org/multimedia/speak-up-prevent-the-spread-of-infection/ Optional Resources Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. (n.d.). Patient safety primer: Never events. Retrieved from http://psnet.ahrq.gov/primer.aspx?primerID=3 Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. (n.d.). Patient safety primer: The role of the patient in safety. Retrieved from http://psnet.ahrq.gov/primer.aspx?primerID=17 Inskeep, S. (Host). (2010, January 5). Atul Gawande's 'checklist' for surgery success. In Morning Edition [Audio podcast]. Retrieved from http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=122226184&ps=cprs Note: Click on "Listen to the Story" to listen to the audio podcast. Seabrook, A. (Host). (2007, December 7). Doctor saved Michigan 00 million. In All Things Considered [Audio podcast]. Retrieved from http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=17060374 Note: Click on "Listen to the Story" to listen to the audio podcast. The Joint Commission. (2008, March 28). Better safe than sorry—You the smart patient [Video podcast]. Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/user/TheJointCommission#p/c/2/Lvmv7OGE4XA The Joint Commission. (2009, July 21). Have the doctor draw you a picture—You the smart patient [Video podcast]. Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/user/TheJointCommission#p/c/A08A42DCA167B8E8/3/fFeAehqy1ZE The Joint Commission. (2009, March 12). No more flowers—You the smart patient [Video podcast]. Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/user/TheJointCommission#p/c/0/R5wNdugiTbI The Joint Commission. (2008, April 4). Staying safe in the hospital—You the smart patient [Video podcast]. Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/user/TheJointCommission#p/c/1/EN0ttsvmVck The Joint Commission: Speak Up Initiatives AHRQ: Patient Safety Network PSNet Robert Wood Johnson Foundation National Quality Forum (NQF) Resource https://psnet.ahrq.gov/primers/primer/3 https://psnet.ahrq.gov/primers/primer/17 https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=122226184&ps=cprs?storyId=122226184&ps= cprs https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=17060374 https://www.youtube.com/user/TheJointCommission#p/c/2/Lvmv7OGE4XA https://www.youtube.com/user/TheJointCommission#p/c/A08A42DCA167B8E8/3/fFeAehqy1ZE https://www.youtube.com/user/TheJointCommission#p/c/0/R5wNdugiTbI https://www.youtube.com/user/TheJointCommission#p/c/1/EN0ttsvmVck https://www.jointcommission.org/speakup.aspx https://psnet.ahrq.gov/ https://www.rwjf.org/ https://www.truthaboutnursing.org/news/2012/may/trujillo.html#gsc.tab=0 https://www.qualitycheck.org/ http://www.qualityforum.org/Home.aspx To prevent health care errors, patients are urged to... UP Speak S peak up if you have questions or concerns. If you still don’t understand, ask again. It’s your body and you have a right to know. P ay attention to the care you get. Always make sure you’re getting the right treatments and medicines by the right health care professionals. Don’t assume anything. E ducate yourself about your illness. Learn about the medical tests you get, and your treatment plan. A sk a trusted family member or friend to be your advocate (advisor or supporter). K now what medicines you take and why you take them. Medicine errors are the most common health care mistakes. U se a hospital, clinic, surgery center, or other type of health care organization that has been carefully checked out. For example, The Joint Commission visits hospitals to see if they are meeting The Joint Commission’s quality standards. P articipate in all decisions about your treatment. You are the center of the health care team. TM Everyone has a role in making health care safe. That includes doctors, health care executives, nurses and many health care technicians. Health care organizations all across the country are working to make health care safe. As a patient, you can make your care safer by being an active, involved and informed member of your health care team. The Joint Commission is the largest health care accrediting body in the United States that promotes quality and safety. Helping health care organizations help patients SpeakUP TM Tips for your doctor’s visit Your visit to the doctor is your time to talk and learn about your health. Patients have a role in their health care, just like doctors, nurses and other caregivers. This brochure includes tips for your visit to the doctor to help you become more active and involved in your health care. Talking with your doctor What you can do to prepare for your doctor’s visit. Take all of your prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbs with you when you visit the doctor. If you’re unable to take them with you, take a current list of all the medicines, vitamins, and herbs that you take. Include how much you take. Write down the following information to share with your doctor: q Your health history. Include allergies and bad reactions you have had to medicines, and the dates of any surgeries and hospital visits. q Your current health problems. q Any questions that you want to ask about your health. What can you do if you don’t understand what your doctor is saying? Tips for your doctor’s visit The Joint Commission is the largest health care accrediting body in the United States that promotes quality and safety. Helping health care organizations help patients Tell the doctor you do not understand. Ask more questions to help the doctor understand what you need. Tell the doctor if you need someone who speaks your language or who knows sign language. Ask a trusted friend or family member to come with you. What if you are too embarrassed to talk about your health problems? Why is the doctor asking personal questions? It may help to write your health problems and symptoms down on paper to give to the doctor. A friend or family member may be able to help you talk to the doctor about your problem. The doctor needs to know about your habits so he or she can recommend the best treatment for you. Tell the doctor if you smoke, use recreational drugs, or are sexually active. The doctor can only talk to others about your health with your written permission. Ask about any new medicines your doctor prescribes: Your doctor is sending you to another doctor—why? q Why do you need a new medicine? How will it help you? q Is there a generic medicine you can take? Your doctor may send you to see a specialist. Specialists include heart doctors and doctors who treat cancer. Ask why the doctor recommends that you see another doctor. q Is there a medicine on your insurance company’s formulary that will work for you? q What is the name of the medicine? q Is the medicine a liquid or a pill? q What are the directions for taking the medicine? Repeat the directions back to the doctor. Ask the doctor to write down the directions. q What are the side effects? q Can you take it with your current medicines? Should you stop taking any of your current medicines? q Should you avoid any foods or drinks when you take the medicine? q Would the medicine still work if you use half of it? As an example, can you cut a pill in half? Remind your doctor about your allergies and reactions you have had to medicines. Tell the doctor if you don’t understand any information about the medicine. Ask your doctor to give you an updated printed list of all your medicines. If you need a lab test After your doctor’s visit Questions to ask the doctor if you need a lab test: Learn more about your condition. q Why is this test being done? What will it tell you about my health? Information can be found at the library, from support groups and reliable Web sites. Searching for a Web site is easy. Just type your disease or diagnosis into the search box on your computer’s Internet search engine, such as Google. q Are there any foods or drinks I should avoid before or after the test? q Should I take my medicine before the test? q Is there anything else I need to do to prepare for the test? What if you are not sure about the treatment or operation? q Are there any side effects of the test? Will it be painful or uncomfortable? Is it unusual to have pain or discomfort? Make an appointment with another doctor to get a second opinion. Tips for the examination q Should I have the test done before my next visit to the doctor? How can you find out if the hospital or facility you plan to go to is a good one? What can you do if you are uncomfortable being examined by the doctor? q Will I need someone to take me home after the test? Tell the doctor or nurse how you can be made more comfortable. Let them know if you would like a nurse or a family member or friend to stay with you. If you need treatment or surgery q Find out if the organization is accredited by The Joint Commission. Accredited means that the organization follows rules that guide safe and quality patient care. Visit The Joint Commission’s Quality Check Web site at www.qualitycheck.org. Don’t be afraid to ask the doctor or caregiver if they washed their hands. Ask for written information about your conditions and treatments. Ask how and if a treatment will help you. Find out about risks of the treatments. Doctors, nurses and other caregivers usually wash their hands but they can forget. Remind them if you don’t see them wash their hands. Hand washing helps prevent infection. Make sure the doctor or caregiver wears clean gloves before examining you. Ask them to wear clean gloves before giving shots, touching wounds, or examining your mouth or private parts. Find out about your condition and treatments for it. What can you do to prepare for your treatment? Ask for copies of your health records from your doctor. Your records belong to you. It may take some time to get copies and there may be a cost. q Talk to your doctor. Ask about the organization’s experience taking care of people with your condition. How often do they perform the procedure you need? What special care do they provide to help patients get well? Questions to ask the doctor if you need to have an operation: q Are there any vitamins, herbs, or prescription or over the-counter medicines that you should not take before your operation? q Can you eat or drink before your operation? q Should you trim your nails and remove any nail polish? The goal of the Speak Up™ program is to help patients and their advocates become more informed and involved in their health care. SpeakUP TM Everyone has a role in making health care safe. That includes doctors, health care executives, nurses and many health care technicians. Health care organizations all across the country are working to make health care safe. As a patient, you can make your care safer by being an active, involved and informed member of your health care team. To prevent health care errors, patients are urged to... SpeakUP Help Prevent Errors in Your Care An Institute of Medicine report says that medical mistakes are a serious problem in the health care system. The IOM says that public awareness of the problem is an important step in making things better. TM The Joint Commission is the largest health care accrediting body in the United States that promotes quality and safety. Helping health care organizations help patients The “Speak Up™” program is sponsored by The Joint Commission. They agree that patients should be involved in their own health care. These efforts to increase patient awareness and involvement are also supported by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. This program gives simple advice on how you can help make health care a good experience. Research shows that patients who take part in decisions about their own health care are more likely to get better faster. To help prevent health care mistakes, patients are urged to “Speak Up.” S peak up if you have questions or concerns. If you still do not understand, ask again. It is your body and you have a right to know. • Your health is very important. Do not worry about being embarrassed if you do not understand something that your doctor, nurse or other health care professional tells you. If you do not understand because you speak another language,ask for someone who speaks your language. You have the right to get free help from someone who speaks your language. • Do not be afraid to ask about safety. If you are having surgery, ask the doctor to mark the area that is to be operated on. • Do not be afraid to tell the nurse or the doctor if you think you are about to get the wrong medicine. • Do not be afraid to tell a health care professional if you think he or she has confused you with another patient. P get that information are from your doctor, your library, support groups, and respected Web sites, like the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) Web site. • Write down important facts your doctor tells you. Ask your doctor if he or she has any written information you can keep. • Read all medical forms and make sure you understand them before you sign anything. If you do not understand, ask your doctor or nurse to explain them. • Make sure you know how to work any equipment that is being used in your care. If you use oxygen at home, do not smoke or let anyone smoke near you. A • • Tell your nurse or doctor if something does not seem right. • Expect health care workers to introduce themselves. Look • E ducate yourself about your illness. Learn about the medical tests you get, and your treatment plan. • Ask your doctor about the special training and experience that qualifies him or her to treat your illness. sk a trusted family member or friend to be your advocate (advisor or supporter). • Your advocate can ask questions that you may not think ay attention to the care you get. Always make sure you are getting the right treatments and medicines by the right health care professionals. Do not assume anything. for their identification (ID) badges. A new mother should know the person who she hands her baby to. If you do not know who the person is, ask for their ID. • Notice whether your caregivers have washed their hands. Hand washing is the most important way to prevent infections. Do not be afraid to remind a doctor or nurse to do this. • Know what time of the day you normally get medicine. If you do not get it, tell your nurse or doctor. • Make sure your nurse or doctor checks your ID. Make sure he or she checks your wristband and asks your name before he or she gives you your medicine or treatment. what medicines you take and why you take them. K now Medicine errors are the most common health care mistakes. • Look for information about your condition. Good places to • • • • about when you are stressed. Your advocate can also help remember answers to questions you have asked or write down information being discussed. Ask this person to stay with you, even overnight, when you are hospitalized. You may be able to rest better. Your advocate can help make sure you get the correct medicines and treatments. Your advocate should be someone who can communicate well and work cooperatively with medical staff for your best care. Make sure this person understands the kind of care you want and respects your decisions. Your advocate should know who your health care proxy decision-maker is; a proxy is a person you choose to sign a legal document so he or she can make decisions about your health care when you are unable to make your own decisions. Your advocate may also be your proxy under these circumstances. They should know this ahead of time. Go over the consents for treatment with your advocate and health care proxy, if your proxy is available, before you sign them. Make sure you all understand exactly what you are about to agree to. Make sure your advocate understands the type of care you will need when you get home. Your advocate should know what to look for if your condition is getting worse. He or she should also know who to call for help. • Ask about why you should take the medicine. Ask for written • • • • • • information about it, including its brand and generic names. Also ask about the side effects of all medicines. If you do not recognize a medicine, double-check that it is for you. Ask about medicines that you are to take by mouth before you swallow them. Read the contents of the bags of intravenous (IV) fluids. If you are not well enough to do this, ask your advocate to do it. If you are given an IV, ask the nurse how long it should take for the liquid to run out. Tell the nurse if it does not seem to be dripping right (too fast or too slow). Whenever you get a new medicine, tell your doctors and nurses about allergies you have, or negative reactions you have had to other medicines. If you are taking a lot of medicines, be sure to ask your doctor or pharmacist if it is safe to take those medicines together. Do the same thing with vitamins, herbs and over-the-counter drugs. Make sure you can read the handwriting on prescriptions written by your doctor. If you cannot read it, the pharmacist may not be able to either. Ask somebody at the doctor’s office to print the prescription, if necessary. Carry an up-to-date list of the medicines you are taking in your purse or wallet. Write down how much you take and when you take it. Go over the list with your doctor and other caregivers. U se a hospital, clinic, surgery center, or other type of health care organization that has been carefully checked out. For example, The Joint Commission visits hospitals to see if they are meeting The Joint Commission’s quality standards. • Ask about the health care organization’s experience in taking care of people with your type of illness. How often do they perform the procedure you need? What special care do they provide to help patients get well? • If you have more than one hospital to choose from, ask your doctor which one has the best care for your condition. • Before you leave the hospital or other facility, ask about follow-up care and make sure that you understand all the instructions. • Go to Quality Check at www.qualitycheck.org to find out whether your hospital or other health care organization is “accredited.” Accredited means that the hospital or health care organization works by rules that make sure that patient safety and quality standards are followed. P articipate in all decisions about your treatment. You are the center of the health care team. • You and your doctor should agree on exactly what will be done during each step of your care. • Know who will be taking care of you. Know how long the treatment will last. Know how you should feel. • Understand that more tests or medications may not • • • • always be better for you. Ask your doctor how a new test or medication will help. Keep copies of your medical records from previous hospital stays and share them with your health care team. This will give them better information about your health history. Do not be afraid to ask for a second opinion. If you are unsure about the best treatment for your illness, talk with one or two additional doctors. The more information you have about all the kinds of treatment available to you, the better you will feel about the decisions made. Ask your doctor to recommend a support group you can join to help deal with your condition. People in these groups may help you prepare for the days and weeks ahead. They may be able to tell you what to expect and what worked best for them. Talk to your doctor and your family about your wishes regarding resuscitation and other life-saving actions. The goal of the Speak Up™ program is to help patients and their advocates become more informed and involved in their health care. SpeakUP TM Everyone has a role in making health care safe. That includes doctors, health care executives, nurses and many health care technicians. Health care organizations all across the country are working to make health care safe. As a patient, you can make your care safer by being an active, involved and informed member of your health care team. To prevent health care errors, patients are urged to... SpeakUP Help Prevent Errors in Your Care An Institute of Medicine report says that medical mistakes are a serious problem in the health care system. The IOM says that public awareness of the problem is an important step in making things better. TM The Joint Commission is the largest health care accrediting body in the United States that promotes quality and safety. Helping health care organizations help patients The “Speak Up™” program is sponsored by The Joint Commission. They agree that patients should be involved in their own health care. These efforts to increase patient awareness and involvement are also supported by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. This program gives simple advice on how you can help make health care a good experience. Research shows that patients who take part in decisions about their own health care are more likely to get better faster. To help prevent health care mistakes, patients are urged to “Speak Up.” S peak up if you have questions or concerns. If you still do not understand, ask again. It is your body and you have a right to know. • Your health is very important. Do not worry about being embarrassed if you do not understand something that your doctor, nurse or other health care professional tells you. If you do not understand because you speak another language,ask for someone who speaks your language. You have the right to get free help from someone who speaks your language. • Do not be afraid to ask about safety. If you are having surgery, ask the doctor to mark the area that is to be operated on. • Do not be afraid to tell the nurse or the doctor if you think you are about to get the wrong medicine. • Do not be afraid to tell a health care professional if you think he or she has confused you with another patient. P get that information are from your doctor, your library, support groups, and respected Web sites, like the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) Web site. • Write down important facts your doctor tells you. Ask your doctor if he or she has any written information you can keep. • Read all medical forms and make sure you understand them before you sign anything. If you do not understand, ask your doctor or nurse to explain them. • Make sure you know how to work any equipment that is being used in your care. If you use oxygen at home, do not smoke or let anyone smoke near you. A • • Tell your nurse or doctor if something does not seem right. • Expect health care workers to introduce themselves. Look • E ducate yourself about your illness. Learn about the medical tests you get, and your treatment plan. • Ask your doctor about the special training and experience that qualifies him or her to treat your illness. sk a trusted family member or friend to be your advocate (advisor or supporter). • Your advocate can ask questions that you may not think ay attention to the care you get. Always make sure you are getting the right treatments and medicines by the right health care professionals. Do not assume anything. for their identification (ID) badges. A new mother should know the person who she hands her baby to. If you do not know who the person is, ask for their ID. • Notice whether your caregivers have washed their hands. Hand washing is the most important way to prevent infections. Do not be afraid to remind a doctor or nurse to do this. • Know what time of the day you normally get medicine. If you do not get it, tell your nurse or doctor. • Make sure your nurse or doctor checks your ID. Make sure he or she checks your wristband and asks your name before he or she gives you your medicine or treatment. what medicines you take and why you take them. K now Medicine errors are the most common health care mistakes. • Look for information about your condition. Good places to • • • • about when you are stressed. Your advocate can also help remember answers to questions you have asked or write down information being discussed. Ask this person to stay with you, even overnight, when you are hospitalized. You may be able to rest better. Your advocate can help make sure you get the correct medicines and treatments. Your advocate should be someone who can communicate well and work cooperatively with medical staff for your best care. Make sure this person understands the kind of care you want and respects your decisions. Your advocate should know who your health care proxy decision-maker is; a proxy is a person you choose to sign a legal document so he or she can make decisions about your health care when you are unable to make your own decisions. Your advocate may also be your proxy under these circumstances. They should know this ahead of time. Go over the consents for treatment with your advocate and health care proxy, if your proxy is available, before you sign them. Make sure you all understand exactly what you are about to agree to. Make sure your advocate understands the type of care you will need when you get home. Your advocate should know what to look for if your condition is getting worse. He or she should also know who to call for help. • Ask about why you should take the medicine. Ask for written • • • • • • information about it, including its brand and generic names. Also ask about the side effects of all medicines. If you do not recognize a medicine, double-check that it is for you. Ask about medicines that you are to take by mouth before you swallow them. Read the contents of the bags of intravenous (IV) fluids. If you are not well enough to do this, ask your advocate to do it. If you are given an IV, ask the nurse how long it should take for the liquid to run out. Tell the nurse if it does not seem to be dripping right (too fast or too slow). Whenever you get a new medicine, tell your doctors and nurses about allergies you have, or negative reactions you have had to other medicines. If you are taking a lot of medicines, be sure to ask your doctor or pharmacist if it is safe to take those medicines together. Do the same thing with vitamins, herbs and over-the-counter drugs. Make sure you can read the handwriting on prescriptions written by your doctor. If you cannot read it, the pharmacist may not be able to either. Ask somebody at the doctor’s office to print the prescription, if necessary. Carry an up-to-date list of the medicines you are taking in your purse or wallet. Write down how much you take and when you take it. Go over the list with your doctor and other caregivers. U se a hospital, clinic, surgery center, or other type of health care organization that has been carefully checked out. For example, The Joint Commission visits hospitals to see if they are meeting The Joint Commission’s quality standards. • Ask about the health care organization’s experience in taking care of people with your type of illness. How often do they perform the procedure you need? What special care do they provide to help patients get well? • If you have more than one hospital to choose from, ask your doctor which one has the best care for your condition. • Before you leave the hospital or other facility, ask about follow-up care and make sure that you understand all the instructions. • Go to Quality Check at www.qualitycheck.org to find out whether your hospital or other health care organization is “accredited.” Accredited means that the hospital or health care organization works by rules that make sure that patient safety and quality standards are followed. P articipate in all decisions about your treatment. You are the center of the health care team. • You and your doctor should agree on exactly what will be done during each step of your care. • Know who will be taking care of you. Know how long the treatment will last. Know how you should feel. • Understand that more tests or medications may not • • • • always be better for you. Ask your doctor how a new test or medication will help. Keep copies of your medical records from previous hospital stays and share them with your health care team. This will give them better information about your health history. Do not be afraid to ask for a second opinion. If you are unsure about the best treatment for your illness, talk with one or two additional doctors. The more information you have about all the kinds of treatment available to you, the better you will feel about the decisions made. Ask your doctor to recommend a support group you can join to help deal with your condition. People in these groups may help you prepare for the days and weeks ahead. They may be able to tell you what to expect and what worked best for them. Talk to your doctor and your family about your wishes regarding resuscitation and other life-saving actions. The goal of the Speak Up™ program is to help patients and their advocates become more informed and involved in their health care.
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OUTLINE FOR HARM EVENTS IN YOUR AREA:
Task: Short essay on Harm Events in Your Area.
The 1st and 2nd paragraph;
Measures of Patient Quality and Safety
The 3rd ,4th 5th and 6th paragraph;
Comparison of hospital performance
The 7th and 8th paragraph;
Explanation for similarities and disparities in the records
The 9th and 10th paragraph;
Most striking features
The 11th and 12th paragraph;
Decision concerning my health


Running head: Harm EVENTS IN YOUR AREA

Harm Events in Your Area
Students Name
Institution Name

1

EVENTS IN YOUR AREA

2
Measures of Patient Quality and Safety

Hospitals across the country are responsible for the care of patients, and this also includes
measurements to patient safety and quality of care. The hospitals chosen for this analysis include
the Grant Medical Center, the Mount Carmel Health System, and the Riverside Methodist
Hospital, which all exist in the city of Columbus. The three measures of patient safety and
quality include; the labeling of medication, meeting hand hygiene guidelines, and finally,
preventing surgical site infections. These safety and quality measures assist in preventing
medical errors that commonly take place in hospitals. Thus ensuring that the patient receives
quality treatments that are safe and free from all hazards.
The labeling of medication is a safety measure that allows the hospital to improve the
quality of care by providing the correct medicine. All three ...


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