How to prevent becoming a victim of medical mistakes
The HealthGrades Guide to America’s Hospitals and Doctors was released last month with important information for consumers about the quality of virtually every hospital in the country. The reference guide also devotes several chapters to getting the best medical care, from finding the best doctor and hospital to protecting yourself from medical errors.
Medical errors cost Americans nearly $9 billion from 2004 to 2006 and resulted in 238,337 potentially preventable deaths among hospitalized patients, according to HealthGrades’ analysis of Medicare records. “There can be enormous quality differences from one hospital to another, and one doctor to another, and this guide will point readers to the best care, wherever they live,” according to author Dr. Samantha Collier who also is HealthGrades’ chief medical officer.
Dr. Collier offers several ways to avoid becoming the victim of medical errors while hospitalized. Know your daily treatment plan and be prepared when the doctor arrives, ask nurses or doctors to address you by name to prevent them from giving you someone else’s medication, and have a family member or friend act as your advocate to help direct your care and keep track of your treatment plan.
