Germs can be dangerous, causing a wide range of infectious diseases. Some people go to extremes to avoid germs, but for most of us, we just try to be careful, while trying not to think about it. But we can’t escape germs, even in places we think are clean. Did you know doctor offices and […]
Patient Safety
How Safe are Medical Devices?
You know you’re taking a risk if you’re skydiving or bull riding. But did you know there are serious risks associated with many medical devices? Maybe your diabetes leads to a recommendation for an insulin pump. Or perhaps years of constant hip pain led you to a surgeon’s office to discuss a hip replacement. Or […]
What’s Your Hospital’s Safety Record? Is Your Hospital Safe?
We go to the hospital to seek care and treatment. Certainly, most fully expect to heal and come home better than when we went in. And no one expects to get sicker while in the hospital, but it happens. While all hospitals have policies and procedures in place to reduce a patient’s risk of harm […]
Medication Errors in Hospitals – How Can You Protect Yourself?
Clearly, no one wants to get sicker while they are in the hospital. And certainly, no one wants to take a medication that could harm them. It would be easy to assume that your nurse is giving you the right medication at the right time, but unfortunately that is not always the case. Medication errors […]
The Dangers of Long Resident Work Hours
I know I have been there. Chances are you’ve been there too. That place where you are so tired you literally cannot think straight. You’ve been up with a baby or a sick child. Perhaps a work or school deadline has kept you awake most of the night for days on end. Mind-numbing sleepless nights […]