Patient safety is no new issue when it comes to hospitals and health care facilities. In fact, you have probably heard some stories in recent months where patients were injured or even killed as the result of medical mishaps that are oftentimes preventable. At Elk & Elk, we have helped many people in Washington to learn more about their role in protecting their wellbeing in a health care facility setting.
You have probably heard about some of the things you can do to protect your safety including taking notes, understanding your medical condition, asking questions to your doctor and bringing a trusted friend or family member with you to important appointments. However, you can also help protect yourself by holding your hospital to a high standard of care. According to the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, hospitals should be taking several standard precautions to protect their patients. By keeping your eyes and ears open for implementation of these policies, you can find a hospital that you are confident understands the importance of patient safety.
Here are some of the things that hospitals should do:
- They should provide you with adequate education about your condition, treatment and recovery.
- They should conduct regular surveys to assess how you and other patients feel about their quality of care.
- They should guarantee that all hospital staff are allotted adequate periods of rest between shifts.
- They may consider partnering with a patient safety organization to implement guidelines that are designed to better protect your health and wellbeing.
If you know that you will be admitted to the hospital soon for a procedure or if you have been injured because of hospital negligence, you may wish to enlist the help of an attorney. A legal professional can help you gather evidence about your injury and organize things factually to create a compelling case. For more information about hospital negligence, visit our web page.