There are so many great things happening in healthcare today.  The genome project is producing new discoveries for potential cures and new surgeries are being performed that several years ago were not even thought of, let alone attempted.  New drug discoveries and new natural cure discoveries are improving our quality and length of life. 

With all these new initiatives going on, should we be concerned about anything regarding our healthcare other than its affordability?  You hear about the rise in diabetes, obesity in children and other problems, but what about the relatively healthy person that has to go into the hospital for a routine procedure?

We just passed the ninth anniversary of the Institute of Medicine's (IOM) published report, "To Err is Human: Building a Safer Health System" (www.iom.edu/Object.File/Master/4/117/0.pdf).  In that study, it states that there were 44,000 to 98,000 deaths annually in hospitals due to preventable medical errors.  Even if you used the lower number of 44,000, that would have been the 8^th leading cause of death annually; more than motor vehicle accidents or breast cancer.  To put it another way, that would be like 120 people dying every day in the United States  due to preventable medical errors.

As we approach the tenth anniversary of the "To Err is Human" report, I'm sure we'll continue to hear about the steps healthcare providers are taking to decrease these tragic errors from occurring. And I am sure that a good portion of the healthcare sector continues to take that report seriously and move toward higher levels of patient safety. Unfortunately, despite the many good recommendations that were made in that report, subsequent IOM reports and the healthcare industry's own findings suggest that we haven't made much progress.

Instead of focusing on the causes of these medical errors or how the industry or government should fix them, I'd like to focus on how we can each become our own solution to the patient safety crisis. I'm sure there are a myriad of ways to be more proactive with our own care, but I'd like to suggest ten ways we can protect ourselves and our loved ones from preventable medical errors. They are:

1. Search http://www.checkmd.com/ for comparison information obtained from the federal government on hospitals.
2. Search http://www.checkmd.com/ and other sources for information about your physician. Is he/she licensed and board certified in the specialty of your need? And most importantly; is your doctor free from disciplinary actions?
3. Ask a friend, nurse or other healthcare professional to recommend a physician or other healthcare professional.
4. Ask what the normal and current staffing levels of nurses are when you are in the hospital. It has been shown that when hospitals cut back or are short staffed, more errors occur.
5. If undergoing surgery, ask the hospital (or obtain additional research on the Internet) how often that procedure is performed in that hospital and how their outcomes compare to other hospitals. Again, http://www.checkmd.com/ has some of those comparisons.
6. Be a patient advocate or have a friend or family member be an advocate for you by staying with you while you are in the hospital.
7. Don't be afraid to ask questions until you are satisfied with the answers. Remember that this is your health and your care. You are in charge.
8. Check all medications for the proper prescription and dosage. Medication errors are one of the most prevalent forms of preventable medical error.
9. Ask the hospital pharmacist and/or your personal pharmacist (if you don't know who the pharmacist is, you can also get that information at http://www.checkmd.com/) about the medications you are taking and what possible side effects they may have. Also ask about adverse reactions to other medications, allergies or supplements.
10. Perhaps most importantly, make sure everyone that has any contact with you at the hospital (including family and friends), washes their hands.

Preventable Medical Errors Happen: Protect Your Family, Your Friends and Yourself

"It is one of the most beautiful compensations in life

That no man can sincerely try to help another

Without helping himself"

Ralph Waldo Emerson

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