Taking Responsibility: Safeguarding Your Medical Care

The number of people who die from medical errors in U.S. hospitals each year has been estimated to be up to 98,000 (National Academy of Sciences), compared with 43,501 (Center for Disease Control, 1998) deaths from motor vehicle accidents.

We can each greatly improve the quality of our medical care, and that of our families, by following these simple rules:

Be Careful Of What Drug Combinations You Are Taking

Most drugs taken with the proper dosage are safe. However, if the drug is not tested sufficiently or for a long enough time in order to determine their side effects and consequently warn of these side effects, they can injure or kill. If a certain drug is taken in combination with another drug, it can cause a dangerous condition.

Keep A List Of Your Medications and Their Effect On You

Always take a list of your medications to doctor’s appointments for cross-referencing. Avoid bad drug interactions by keeping your doctor fully informed about your medications.

Write Down Your Medical History

Keep track of your medical treatment and history for your information and for your providers, which you can take with you to appointments and edit as your health changes.

Always Inform All Of Your Doctors Of The Drugs You Are Currently Taking 

If you have more than one prescribing doctor, it is critical to report to each doctor what the other doctors have prescribed for you so they are ALL aware of any dangerous combinations and so they can better protect you. 

Ask For The Information Sheet On Your Drug

Always talk to your doctor about the drugs you are taking and ask for the information sheet given with the drug from your pharmacist at the time the prescription is filled. Do read the sheet for possible warnings and drugs, alcohol or certain food combinations that should not be taken with the prescribed drug and be sure to follow the precautions.

Investigate Your Drug For Yourself

Double check for yourself by going to http://www.gettingwell.com/ which takes you to the PDR or Physician’s Desk Reference. Once on the web page, just go to "Drug Information" and hit enter. You will end up on the page that will allow you to click on Prescription Drugs A-Z and find your drug with a point and click. Read the information to determine if the drugs that you are taking would suggest any contraindication or warning not to take the drug with another specific drug.

Read The Label On Your Prescription Bottle Very Carefully

You will often find warnings on your prescription bottle informing you of how often to take the drug, when to take the drug and whether you should take it before or after eating. In addition, the warning may inform you of certain foods to avoid in taking your drug. For example, if certain drugs are taken with grapefruit juice, the juice can increase the potency by many times making it a possible dangerous condition for the patient. Take the warnings seriously.

Take Someone With You When You Are Being Tested Or Having Surgery

If you are anticipating any medical treatment or procedure, never go alone if you can avoid it. Have a friend or loved one accompany you as an advocate, in order to protect your interests and to ensure that your questions and concerns are addressed. Have that person take notes about your care.

Avoid Infections In The Hospital

Don’t be shy – ask nurses and doctors to wash their hands. The spread of bacteria through poor hygiene is still a chief cause of hospital infections and there is still only about 50% compliance with hand-washing guidelines. (CDC, Vol. 7, No. 2, Mar-Apr 2001).

You Have the Right - To Have Your Own Medical Records

You have a right to view your own medical records under Minnesota Statute 144.335. which allows access to health records. Under the statute, you are entitled to obtain a copy of your records from the provider. And, when a patient requests a copy of the record for purposes of reviewing current medical care, the provider must not charge a fee.

Did You Know?

The largest American drug manufacturer, Merck, had profits of $6.8 billion in 2000, which was more than the profits of all the Fortune 500 companies in the airline, food production, entertainment, metals and hotel/casino/resorts industries combined? (Pharmaceutical Industry Remains Most Profitable in the Country, from Public Citizen, a non-profit, public-interest organization at www.citizen.org

If You Think That You Or A Loved One Has Been Injured By A Pharmaceutical Drug, Call Faris & Faris And We Can Help.  1-866-250-1786

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