Dealing with illness or injury can be a stressful situation for anyone. When faced with challenges concerning your health or that of a loved one, you place your trust in the hands of healthcare professionals to provide you with solutions to those problems.
The last thing that you need to think about during a medical emergency is the possibility of an error occurring during treatment, but by taking an active role in your care plan and working with your doctors and nurses, you can drastically reduce these chances and greatly enhance the probability of a positive outcome.
Jamaica Hospital has created a person-centered care model that focuses on patient communication and empowerment. We encourage all patients to take an active role in their treatment plan. To that end, we have provided the following tips to help you during your next hospital visit:
- Provide your healthcare providers with a detailed medical history, including a list of all existing conditions, prior hospitalizations as well as prescription and over the counter medications you are currently taking.
- Be sure to notify your medical team of any known food or medication allergies
- Check that you were issued a hospital identification wristband that contains accurate personal information
- Ensure that all doctors, nurses, and the rest of your healthcare team positively identify you before providing treatment. Ask that all providers address you by name and confirm your date of birth.
- Visually inspect your environment for cleanliness as healthcare facilities are likely environments to spread germs if they are not properly maintained
- Closely monitor that all healthcare providers wash their hands before and after they provide treatment
- Be an active participant with your healthcare provider. Provide details about how you are feeling, ask questions about all treatment plans and prescribed medication, including potential side effects.
- Don’t be afraid to ask your healthcare team to repeat information if you do not understand something initially
Jamaica Hospital understands the stress associated with a hospital visit. By providing the tips listed above, we hope to eliminate some of your concerns so you can concentrate on a fast and complete recovery.
All content of this newsletter is intended for general information purposes only and is not intended or implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Please consult a medical professional before adopting any of the suggestions on this page. You must never disregard professional medical advice or delay seeking medical treatment based upon any content of this newsletter. PROMPTLY CONSULT YOUR PHYSICIAN OR CALL 911 IF YOU BELIEVE YOU HAVE A MEDICAL EMERGENCY.