Avoiding Medical Errors

Robert M. Fox; Chris Landon

doi:10.5771/9781538135723

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Copyright year: 2020
ISBN-Print: 978-1-5381-3571-6
ISBN-Online: 978-1-5381-3572-3
Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield, Lanham
Language: English
Pages: 176
Product type: Book Titles

1. Contents No access
2. Acknowledgments No access
3. Introduction No access
4. Preamble to the Rules No access
1. Rule 1. Select (or Change to) a Competent Doctor No access
2. Rule 2. Use State Medical Board Websites to Verify the Credentials of Your Doctor No access
3. Rule 3. Don’t Hesitate to Ask Questions That Can Help Your Doctor Evaluate Your Medical Care and Protect Your Health No access
4. Rule 4. Be Courteous and Considerate to Your Doctor and All Other Medical Office Personnel No access
5. Rule 5. If You Have Doubts about Your Doctor’s Advice concerning Diagnosis or Treatment, Don’t Hesitate to Speak Up and Ask Questions No access
6. Rule 6. Insist That Your Doctor Tell You the Diagnosis Before You Accept Treatment No access
7. Rule 7. Be Persistent, Particularly If You’ve Been Told There Is Nothing Wrong, but You Know Something Is Wrong No access
8. Rule 8. Obtain an Independent Second Opinion No access
9. Rule 9. Be Careful Before You Accept Experimental or Unproven Medication or Treatment No access
10. Rule 10. Consider Stopping Treatment If There Is No Improvement over Time or If Your Condition Worsens No access
11. Rule 11. Do Not Go Home If You Do Not Feel OK No access
12. Rule 12. Take Action—Firmly and Courteously—If You Are Habitually Kept Waiting for Long Periods of Time Before You See Your Doctor No access
13. Rule 13. To Save Time (and Aggravation), Follow the “Call First” and “Schedule First” Tips No access
14. Rule 14. Before Seeing Your Doctor, Prepare a Short List of Questions No access
15. Rule 15. Resist the Urge to Talk during a Procedure or Examination No access
16. Rule 16. If You Become Involved in Legal Disputes, Remind Your Doctor’s Office to Protect Your Records No access
17. Rule 17. Educate Yourself on Doctors and Hospitals No access
18. Rule 18. In an Emergency That Requires Hospitalization, by Private Car or “911” Vehicle, Ask to Be Taken to a Full-Service Hospital No access
19. Rule 19. Consider Simple Research about Your Medical Problem or Medication No access
20. Rule 20. Evaluate Unsubstantiated Health and Medical Advice No access
21. Rule 21. In Your Home, Post Information about Doctors, Hospitals, and Medication No access
22. Rule 22. Keep Medical and Personal Information in Your Wallet No access
23. Rule 23. If Your HCP or Hospital Requires You to Sign an Arbitration Agreement, Sign It—and Don’t Worry! No access
24. Rule 24. Consider Joining a Medical Support Group No access
25. Rule 25. Create and Maintain Your Own Medical File No access
26. Rule 26. If You Discover an Error in Any Record, Ask for a Corrective Note No access
27. Rule 27. Obtain Your Original Records before Their “Destruct Date” No access
28. Rule 28. Ask for Written Instructions for Any Medication, Diet Change, or Exercise No access
29. Rule 29. Keep Each of Your Doctors Informed of Your Medications and Supplements No access
30. Rule 30. Be as Accurate as Possible When Providing the Doctor or Hospital with Essential Information No access
31. Rule 31. If There Is a Language Barrier, Bring Your Own Translator or Interpreter No access
32. Rule 32. Communicate Your Concerns to All Your Healthcare Providers; Do Not Assume They Will Communicate with One Another No access
1. Rule 33. Ask Questions and Think Carefully Before You Agree to Have Surgery No access
2. Rule 34. If You Decide to Have Surgery, Take Steps to Assure the Best Possible Result No access
3. Rule 35. Avoid Traveling Far Away for a Surgery from the “Best” Expert No access
4. Rule 36. Verify with Your Surgeon That He or She Will Personally Perform the Surgery No access
5. Rule 37. Schedule Your Surgery at a Time When the Surgeon Will Be Available Seven Days Postoperatively No access
6. Rule 38. Schedule Your Elective Surgery for a Monday, Tuesday, or Wednesday Morning (If You Have a Choice) No access
7. Rule 39. Avoid Elective Surgery When Residents and Interns Change (June or July at Most Hospitals) No access
8. Rule 40. Ask Your Surgeon to Verify That Your Anesthesiologist Is a Board-Certified MD No access
9. Rule 41. Attempt to Have Your Surgery in a Full-Service Hospital No access
10. Rule 42. Arrange to Have an Advocate/Friend Remain in Your Hospital Room When Needed No access
11. Rule 43. Consider a Surgeon Who Is Skilled in a Particular Surgery, Even Though He or She Has a Reputation for Poor Aftercare No access
12. Rule 44. Select Your Surgeon Carefully: Investigate, Interview, and Decide No access
13. Rule 45. Don’t Panic If You Must Violate Some of Rules 36–43 No access
14. Rule 46. Let Your Surgeon Select His or Her Own Method and Instruments of Surgery No access
15. Rule 47. Ask Your Surgeon If He or She Will Use a General or a Local Anesthetic and Whether You Have a Choice No access
16. Rule 48. Do Not Have Surgery on a Holiday or Weekend No access
17. Rule 49. Be Careful about Scheduling Surgery Only “to Avoid Losing Time from Work” If Such Scheduling Violates Other Rules No access
18. Rule 50. Let Your Surgeon Decide on the Number of Surgeries That Will Be Performed No access
1. Rule 51. During the Weeks before Hospital Entry, Prepare, Assemble, and Learn How to Use Your “Hospital Kit” No access
2. Rule 52. A Day or Two before Hospital Entry, Use a Permanent Black Felt-Tip Marker to Print Warnings about Allergies and Body Surgery No access
3. Rule 53. Except for Your Hospital Kit, Leave Your Valuables at Home to Prevent Loss or Theft No access
4. Rule 54. If You Will Have a Private-Duty Nurse, Make Arrangements at Least a Week before Hospital Entry No access
5. Rule 55. Review Hospital Paperwork Seven to Ten Days before Entry No access
6. Rule 56. In the Weeks before Entry, Determine If a Hospitalist Will Be Available to See Patients No access
7. Rule 57. If You Are Ill before Your Elective or Non-Emergency Surgery, Ask Your Doctor about Possible Cancellation No access
8. Rule 58. Ask Your Doctor Which Medications You Should Be Taking or Discontinuing Before You Enter the Hospital No access
9. Rule 59. Ask Your Doctor’s Permission to Bring Your Own Medication to the Hospital Instead of Taking Those Supplied by the Hospital No access
10. Rule 60. Well before Surgery, Arrange for Postoperative Care No access
11. Rule 61. Verify That You Have Had a Preoperative Physical Examination No access
1. Rule 62. Have Your Friend/Advocate Help with the Check-in Procedure No access
2. Rule 63. Both You and Your Advocate Should Always Be Diplomatic, Friendly, and Cooperative with Everyone at the Hospital No access
3. Rule 64. Confirm That Your Hospital Wristband Has Your Correct Information No access
4. Rule 65. Right Away, Learn How to Work the Call Device and Other Equipment in Your Hospital Room No access
5. Rule 66. Promptly after Admission, Verify That Your Body Warning Signs and Other Printed Signs Are Placed and Visible No access
6. Rule 67. Before Surgery, Reconfirm Your Surgeon Will Be the One Performing the Surgery No access
7. Rule 68. Before Entering the Operating Room, Confirm Which Anesthetic Will Be Administered (Local or General) No access
8. Rule 69. Prior to Surgery, Tell Your Surgeon If You Have Removable Dentures, Implants, Stents, or Similar Items No access
9. Rule 70. Ask Your Doctor: “What Other Doctor Will Be Seeing Me during My Hospitalization?” No access
10. Rule 71. In the Hospital, Make Notes of Important Events to Include in Your Medical File No access
11. Rule 72. Before Taking Any Medication, Verify It Was Prescribed for You and Not Some Other Patient No access
12. Rule 73. If Your Room Has a Bedside Scanning Device to Check Medication, Make Sure It Is Used No access
13. Rule 74. If You Have a Serious Medical Problem, Insist on Being Seen by an Experienced MD; Do Not Allow a Delay Until Your Treating Doctor or Surgeon Returns No access
14. Rule 75. If You Discover That Doctors or Other Hospital Personnel Disagree with the Treatment You Are Receiving, Investigate and Consider a Second Opinion No access
15. Rule 76. When Tests Are Conducted, Always Ask Your Doctor, “What Did the Test Show?” No access
16. Rule 77. If Your Private-Duty Nurse Is Hostile, Incompetent, or Otherwise Unsatisfactory, Discharge Him or Her Promptly No access
17. Rule 78. Avoid Loss or Theft of Your Cell Phone or Smartphone No access
18. Rule 79. Ask Questions If You Discover Surgical or Other Treatment Complications No access
19. Rule 80. If You Are Cleared for Discharge but Feel Too Sick to Leave, Take Steps to Appeal So You Can Stay in the Hospital No access
20. Rule 81. Upon Discharge, Ask for Written Instructions about Medications or Other Required Action No access
21. Rule 82. Do Not Sign Any Documents When You Leave the Hospital No access
1. Rule 83. Ask Questions Before You Agree to Tests or Devices (See Exceptions) No access
2. Rule 84. Ask That All Tests Ordered by Your Doctor Be Conducted and Interpreted in the US (See Exceptions) No access
3. Rule 85. When Your Blood Is Taken for Testing, Check That Your Name Is on the Body of the Container No access
4. Rule 86. Whenever a Needle Is Used, Verify That It Is Taken from an Unopened and Sterile Package No access
5. Rule 87. Always Request Lead Shielding for Tests Involving Radiation (All X-rays and Scans) No access
6. Rule 88. If You Are Told to Use a Device, Have It Explained to You While You Are Still at the Office No access
1. Rule 89. Be Careful Buying Prescriptions by Mail or Online Pharmacies; Some Are Good, Some Are Bad, Some Are Fraudulent No access
2. Rule 90. Select Your Local Pharmacies Carefully; It Will Save Time and Money and Will Protect Your Health No access
3. Rule 91. If You Feel Sick or Have Another Problem When Starting New Medication, Stop Immediately and Contact Your Doctor No access
4. Rule 92. Check with Your Doctor about Taking, Continuing, or Stopping Medications No access
5. Rule 93. Verify That the Medication You Are Taking Was Prescribed by Your Doctor No access
6. Rule 94. Ask Your Doctor to Prescribe the Generic Unless There Are Good Reasons to Do Otherwise No access
7. Rule 95. Discard and Replace Outdated Medications No access
8. Rule 96. Do Not Give Children Adult Medication (See Exceptions) No access
1. Rule 97. Maintain Medical, Hospital, and Drug Insurance No access
2. Rule 98. Verify in Advance That Your Bills Will Be Paid by Your Medical Plan No access
3. Rule 99. Reduce Out-of-Pocket Expenses by Bargaining, Coordinating, and Shopping No access
4. Rule 100. Whether You Have Insurance or Not, Learn to Financially Navigate Out-of-Pocket, Out-of-Network, and Concierge Medical Plans No access
5. Rule 101. Be Cautious Before Putting Other Medical or Laboratory Bills on Your Credit Card No access
1. Rule 102. If Injury or Illness May Have Been Caused by Medical or Hospital Errors, or Other Causes, Take Steps to Protect Your Legal Rights No access
2. Rule 103. If Illness or Injury Occurs, as Discussed in Rule 102, Decline Requests for “Interviews” or “Statements,” and Avoid Other Communications That May Compromise Your Legal Rights No access
3. Rule 104. Employ an Attorney ASAP If You Believe You Are a Victim of Medical or Hospital Error or Other Causes Discussed in Rule 102 No access
Appendix A No access Pages 149 - 152
1. 1. Full-Service Hospitals (First-Tier, Tertiary, or Quaternary-Care Hospitals) No access
2. 2. Second-Tier (Regional) Hospitals No access
3. 3. Third-Tier (Local Neighborhood) Hospitals No access
4. 4. Ambulatory Surgical Centers No access
5. 5. Stand-Alone Emergency Rooms No access
6. 6. Urgent Care and Walk-in Clinics No access
7. 7. Healthcare Provider Services Provided by Pharmacies and Other Retail Establishments No access
Appendix C No access Pages 159 - 160
Bibliography and Suggested Reading No access Pages 161 - 162
Index No access Pages 163 - 174
About the Authors No access Pages 175 - 176