Hospital Care: Staying Safe In the Hospital
They say a hospital is no place to be sick! It's true, because problems lurk in every corner. An empowered patient knows how to prepare for a hospital visit, stay safe while at the hospital, cooperate and collaborate with the medical professionals who work there, and find her best outcomes from the visit. Choose any of these topics to empower yourself.
A Patient's Guide to Hospital Acquired Infections
An overview of hospital acquired (nosocomial) infections, why it is important for patients to know about them, and a list of all articles written on the subject.
Visit Someone in the Hospital - How to Visit Someone in the Hospital
Hospital visits can be dangerous for patients, and one safety hazard is the patient's visitors. Keep in mind these do's and don'ts for visiting your friend or loved one in the hospital to be sure he or she stays safe.
How to Choose the Best Hospital for You
When it comes time to be tested or treated in the hospital, it's best to make a serious effort to choose the hospital where we will receive the most effective and safest care.
Choosing an Academic Teaching or University Hospital for Your Care
Academic or university hospital systems offer a different experience for many patients with unusual needs. Learn about the pros and cons of choosing a teaching hospital or academic medical center to provide your healthcare.
A Safe Surgery Guide for Patients - How to Prevent Surgical Mistakes
Learn how to keep yourself safe during surgery.
Emergency Room 101
Millions of people find themselves in a hospital emergency room each year. You never know when it will happen to you! Reading and understanding these emergency room tips will help make your stay in the ER shorter, and may provide you with better care.
Who's Who and New in the Hospital?
New job titles mean safety improvements for patients. Hospitalists, proceduralists and intensivists may be new names to patients, but they are improving patient care.
What Is a Medical Error?
There are 28 medical errors that can occur in a hospital or medical care setting that should never happen. This is the master list of those errors from the National Quality Forum.
Hospital Infection - Have you been infected during a hospital stay?
According to the US Centers for Disease Control, 101,000 Americans die from hospital acquired infections like MRSA, C. Diff or VRE each year. Have you or a loved one experienced an infection? How did you know you were infected? How did the hospital take care of you? Have you been able to recover? Please share your story to help others.
Alicia Cole, Actor - Creating a Legacy After Her Hospital Infection Experience
Actor Alicia Cole's career was going extremely well when routine surgery caused her to become infected with necrotizing fasciitis, the flesh-eating disease. Still recovering five years later, she also campaigns for patient safety issues to help others fight infections or heal from them.
Medicare's Never Events Policy - How It Will Affect Your Hospital Care
October 1, 2008 saw implementation of Medicare's new never events policy. While it is intended to improve patient safety, there will be some consequences patients need to be aware of.
MRSA, C.Diff, VRE, CRKP and Other Superbug Hospital Acquired Infections
MRSA, C.Diff, CRKP and other superbug infections are acquired in hospitals and now in the community, too. Patients need to be aware of their origins and how to avoid them.
Prescription Drug Errors Take Lives
According to the Institute of Medicine, drug errors affect 1.5 million Americans each year in hospitals alone. There are steps patients can take to be sure they are receiving the right drug, in the right dosage.
How the Calendar and Time of Day Affect Hospital Medical Mistakes
Certain times of the year, and certain times of the day are known to be more dangerous for hospital patients than others. Learn when to avoid the hospital, and how to keep yourself safe if you end up there anyway.
Anxiety or Post Traumatic Stress from Medical Errors or Bad Medical E…
A medical error, or any horribly negative medical experience, is a traumatic event. Many who suffer at the hands of the medical system, whether it's a surgical mistake, misdiagnosis, a drug error, or any other form of medical mistake or bad experience with a provider, suffer for years from extreme anxiety attacks, even post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Here readers share their stories of anx… See submissions
How to Set Up Patient Websites
When someone is sick or hurt, there are many well-meaning people who want information about them. But visitors can become intrusive, and making dozens of phone calls can become time-consuming. Patient websites are a good solution for making sure the needs of patients, and those who care about them, are met. Read how to set up a patient website,...
How to Prevent Hospital-Acquired Infections
The best approach for avoiding hospital acquired infections is to prevent them to begin with. Patients can play a big role in avoiding infections themselves. Here are some steps to help you prevent hospital acquired infections.
Who Can Help You in the Hospital?
When you are in the hospital and need help, it's important to know who is who, and which of those people can help you. They all have different job responsibilities and only certain people can help you with certain forms of assistance. You'll need to track their identification to be sure they can provide what you need.
