How You Can Help Prevent Medical Mistakes

Always medical errors is more than medication errors, which might be a leading cause of death, but that doesn't mean you can't help change the numbers. Use these strategies to help keep mistakes from happening. That is also a quality improvement in healthcare.

Trust your instincts. If you have questions about a lab results, diagnosis, or treatment, speak up. And be persistent. After you have a lab test or diagnostic image, call your doctor to make sure he received the results. Don't worry about hurting your doctor's feelings. This is about you.

Choose wisely. The doctor you pick is only the first member of team of specialists involved in your care. She'll likely assemble the rest of the team, so finding the right doctor is doubly important. So, too, is the hospital you choose. There are no guarantees, but usually, the better the hospital, the better the team.

Read the label. Many lab mix-ups start in your doctor's office. When giving a blood or other specimen, ask the nurse, politely, to show you the identification sticker to make sure it's accurate.

Carry a medical passport. A summary of your vital health information is a must. It should list diseases, medications and doses, food and drug allergies, and phone numbers of your physician and nearest relative. Take it with you to every doctor you see - even the radiologist.

Get a second opinion. It's crucial to your health. If a diagnosis requires surgery, chemotherapy, or medications with side effects, find another specialist (call the hospital's referral service for help), and send him all your pathology and radiology lab work for review, both the images and reports.

How You Can Help Prevent Medical Mistakes