Safer healthcare

When you buy a car, book a holiday or plan a wedding, most people ask a lot of questions so that everything goes according to plan.

Well, your health care should be the same – yet too many people don’t ask questions and the results can be life threatening.

1. Be actively involved in your own health care Taking part in decisions that are made about your treatment is the single most important way to help prevent things from going wrong and to get the best possible care for your needs.
2. Ask questions and speak up if you have concerns It’s OK to ask your doctor questions and expect answers that you can understand.
3. Learn more about your condition or treatments by asking your doctor or nurse and by using other reliable sources of information
4. Keep a list of all the medicines (prescription, over-the-counter and complementary) you are taking and any allergies you have
5. Make sure you understand the medicines you are taking Always read the label and warnings and always double check that the medication is exactly what the doctor prescribed you.
6. Make sure you get the results of any test or procedure – no news is not necessarily good news
7. Discuss treatment options Talk to your health care professional about your treatment options if you need to go into hospital
8. Make sure you understand what will happen if you need surgery or a procedure - what procedure is taking place, who will be delivering it, and what it will involve.
9. Confirm with both your doctor and the surgeon the detail of what procedure is required and when it will be done.
10. Before you leave hospital, ask your doctor or other health care professional to explain what medication or ongoing treatment you require. Always see your GP when discharged.

Source: Medibank Private, in conjunction with the Australian Commission for Safety & Quality in Health Care, has produced a booklet called ‘10 Tips for Safer Health Care’ as part of our commitment to promote the provision of safe, high quality health care for our members.

Download 10 Tips for Safer Health Care (149kb)

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