Preparing for Your Hospital Stay

Many hospitals in this country have safety records intolerable in any other industry. The statistics are alarming:

Unfortunately, hospitals also have a poor track record of being direct and sharing information on their quality and safety with the public. Behind a wall of medical jargon, protocols and legal fears, patients like you are often left out of the loop. The Hospital Safety Score is designed to be the first consumer-friendly way of sharing safety data in an easy-to-use format. Each A, B, C, D, or F grade reflects how safe that hospital is for patients, and hospitals that receive an A grade have proven to do a better job at protecting you from harm. Please use our hospital locator tool to find the safest hospital near you. You deserve a hospital stay free from harm and error. However, even when seeking care for yourself or loved ones at an A hospital, it is important that you stay vigilant in monitoring your care. Be prepared and take precautions.

What you can do to prevent medication errors during a hospital stay

Reduce the chance for medication errors by being informed, alert, organized and aware. Be sure to:

Make sure care team members who bring medications to you are aware of any allergic reactions you have had to medicines in the past. Ensure your family members are aware of any drug allergies as well. Many of these suggestions to keep medication use safe in the hospital can also be helpful at home.

What hospitals do to minimize medication errors

Medication errors in hospitals are, unfortunately, quite common. However, your healthcare team and hospital staff take many precautions to minimize medication errors in the hospital. For example, hospitals are:

Medication safety improvement is a top priority for hospitals. You and your family can play a role in helping hospitals improve.

Preventing falls is important and can save lives

Falls in hospitals are a significant problem and patients of all ages are vulnerable to them, especially the elderly. Falls often happen when patients try getting out of bed to either go on a walk or go to the bathroom. If you need to get out of bed, you should:

Many hospitals have fall prevention programs, and some provide visual aids such as bracelets and stairs for patients at risk for falls. These tools can help alert everyone that you may have trouble with balance. Your family and other visitors should also learn how they help protect you from falls. Tips include:

Talking with your doctor about medical errors

Talking to your doctor about medical errors—either general experience or with specific regard to your care—can be tricky. It is important to be sensitive yet assertive. From the perspective of the doctor-patient relationship, it is valuable to discuss the issue prior to beginning a course of care.

Questions about errors in general:

Questions about errors in your care:

Seek support together. Medically Induced Trauma Support Services (MITSS), (found at http://www.mitsstools.org/ ) is an organization founded to assist in healing the relationship between clinicians and patients who have experienced an error together. MITSS also provides insights to the public to prevent similar errors from happening.

Improving communications with your doctor to make care safer

Communication is challenging. When you are meeting with your physician, it is important to listen carefully to help make your care experience as safe as possible.

Helping hospitalized family members is important

As a family member or loved one of a hospitalized patient, you are an integral member of the healthcare team. The more informed you are about their care, the better! There are several ways you can participate in order to be a contributing member of this team:

What parents can do to help keep children safe in a hospital

Children, just like adults, are vulnerable when they are in the hospital. Protecting them from harm is an important role for a parent. Here are some ways you can participate in the care of your child:

The Joint Commission (the organization that accredits hospitals) makes the following suggestions for helping keep your child safe during surgery: