If you’re a regular reader of my blog posts (and I hope you are! If not, sign up here to receive my weekly post by email) you know I often cite research regarding the frequency and severity of medication errors. The Institute of Medicine estimates the average patient in hospitals and long-term care facilities experiences at least […]
Archive | Medical Errors
Reduce Your Risk of Medical Errors That Even the Best Doctors Can Make
We literally put our lives in the hands of doctors. We trust them to do their jobs well – to heal us and protect us from harm. Unfortunately, that is not always the case. In fact, medical errors are the 3rd leading cause of death in the United States. Do you know what you should do […]
Can Your Medication Make You Sicker?
Medications are a common treatment. So common in fact, many patients take multiple medications. Although medication is supposed to make you better, that is not always the case. Can your medication make you sicker? Unfortunately, yes. Americans take a lot of medication! We are taking a lot of pills! Research estimates that in any given […]
Learn a Lesson From Serena Williams: Trust Your Instincts When it Comes to Your Health
By zaggocare on February 26, 2018 in Communicating with Your Healthcare Team, Medical Errors, Understanding Your Diagnosis and Treatment Options
Speaking up can reduce your risk of a misdiagnosis! Have you ever felt that your doctor isn’t listening to you? Have you had your concerns brushed aside? Are you wondering how you can reduce your risk of a misdiagnosis? It happens in doctors’ offices, emergency departments and hospital rooms – patients have a sense of […]
Outpatient Medical Errors: Patient Safety Concerns Are Not Only for Hospitals.
By zaggocare on February 5, 2018 in Communicating with Your Healthcare Team, Managing Healthcare, Medical Errors
Do you know how to reduce your risk of medical errors at your doctor’s office? There’s been quite a bit in the news the past few years about safety in hospitals. Yet you don’t hear about the dangers patients face in doctor offices, ambulatory care centers, day surgical centers and even their homes. Do you […]
Hospital Safety Grades – How Safe are Hospitals?
By zaggocare on December 4, 2017 in Evaluating a Doctor or Hospital, Hospital Issues, Medical Errors, Patient Safety
Learning about your hospital’s safety record may safe your life! Hospitals are where we go to seek care and treatment. Many of us go fully expecting to heal and come home better than when we went in. And no one goes expecting to get sicker. And while all hospitals have policies and procedures in place […]
Nursing Home Safety Issues Can Pose Dangers for Your Loved Ones.
Not all nursing homes are well managed. How can you keep your loved ones safe? When a loved one is too old or sick to care for themselves, many families consider putting the patient in a nursing home or rehab facility which can provide 24-7 medical attention for their loved one. However, putting a loved one […]
Patient-Doctor Communication. What’s the Impact on Patient Health?
By zaggocare on September 11, 2017 in Communicating with Your Healthcare Team, Managing Healthcare, Medical Errors, Understanding Your Diagnosis and Treatment Options
Research has shown that effective patient-doctor communication in healthcare is linked to higher patient and doctor satisfaction, better adherence to treatment plans, more appropriate medical decisions and better health outcomes. This should be enough to convince you that effective, clear conversations with your medical team are crucial. However, effective communication between the patient and doctor […]
Information Needed by Home Healthcare Providers is Lacking
By zaggocare on August 7, 2017 in Communicating with Your Healthcare Team, Hospital Issues, Medical Errors
Errors Occur When Home Healthcare Providers Don’t Get Accurate Information on Recently Discharged Patients Back in the good-old days of 1982, I went to the hospital on Monday, had knee surgery on Tuesday, and went home on Friday. Yep, 5 days in the hospital for a pretty minor procedure, which doctors now accomplish with patients […]
What is Being Done to Reduce Medication Errors?
Exciting New Initiative on Reducing Medication Errors Medication errors, including patients taking the wrong medication or the wrong dosage, are dangerous. In the US, medication errors cause at least one death every day and injure about 1.3 million people every year. What can be done to reduce medication errors? I am excited to share that […]