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Patient Survival TipsA patient’s survival guide to better health and healthcare27 things you and/or the person in your care should knowThis is what I learned: Over two million people each year suffer adverse drug reactions just within hospitals. Some 800,000 people die each year from medical mistakes. It is the leading cause of death in the United States. The number of unnecessary medical and surgical procedures performed annually is 7.5 million. Source. We need to be fully engaged in the treatment process to help the professionals do the best possible job. q Support system: Use friends, family and others to help you gather information and make decisions. The stress of a medical situation combined with the complexity of diagnosis and treatment can make it difficult to make good decisions. Don’t see a doctor alone. Pick a trusted person to be your advocate and ask them to help you through the process. If you don’t have friends or family available ask your pastor for a recommendation or check with social workers. Hospitals have social workers on staff. q Know your rights: All hospitals and residential facilities have a “Patient’s Rights Policy.” Get a copy and read it. Take notice that the elements of this policy were written because of historical problems. This gives you an idea of what to look out for and what rights you truly deserve and should take. q Talk: Doctors and other healthcare specialists rely tremendously on what you tell them to make their diagnoses. Make sure you tell them everything and that they listen. You should not arbitrarily decide that any of what you are experiencing and feeling is not important. It might be an important clue for the doctors. q Listen: Listen to what the doctors and nurses are saying and what they are not saying. This is where it is helpful to have your advocate with you to help you understand the situation and options. q Speak up: If you have any questions or concerns speak up about them as soon as possible. Make a list of questions and/or concerns before you see the doctor and use it. Here are some things to ask your healthcare providers. Remember that it is their job to answer your questions. When in doubt of what to ask say, “What else do I need to know?” Seek second opinions for critical diagnoses and treatments. Two heads are better than one. q Don’t assume: The staff rotation in hospitals, rehab centers, and other medical residence facilities is fast and frequent. If four days in the hospital I was seen by dozens of different people. Yes they have your chart but don’t assume that they remember everything. Help them remember critical elements of your care such as medications and treatments. Never take an offered medication without knowing what it is and that it is part of your treatment. q Watch your timing: If you want more time with your doctors see them as early in the day as you can before their schedule is backed up. If you are in the hospital or a residential care facility never have a full bladder or need anything at meal times or shift change. Everyone will be too busy to take care of you. Learn the rhythm of the work and get your needs taken care of when the staff is not as busy. Ask for everything you need but watch your timing. q Home care: Make sure the medical professionals advise you of any equipment you might need for recuperation at home. Also be absolutely sure that you have access to medical care at home (Visiting Nurses Association) if you cannot get out. They will advise on therapy, treatment and general care. q Hospital bed comfort: If you are renting a bed for home use here are a few tips. Put a quilted mattress pad on over the plastic mattress cover. You will be much more comfortable and it helps reduce the chance of developing pressure sores. Also buy high thread count sheets as they are much less abrasive than cheap sheets. Your elbows will thank you. Note that you can get this bedding at discount stores for not a lot of money (e.g. Kmart). q Drugs for us mature folks: If the patient is 65 years or older, go to the resources (links) page and go to the Beers List. This lists prescription drugs that can be especially problematic for people of retirement age or older. Don’t let your doctor give you any of them without making him or her fully justify their use and explain how they are going to ensure your safety while on them.
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Medications and supplements & interactions: It is
critical that you inform you doctors and nurses of EVERY medication and
supplement you take. Some of those seemingly innocuous herbs and
supplements can interact with medications. Even vitamins are not safe in
some circumstances. q Pain: The under-treatment of pain is a significant issue. Pain management is necessary for health, well-being and the ability to do the therapy for recovery. Insist that your doctors help you manage the pain. There is an excellent patient handbook available for you to use. This handbook includes charts that you can use to record your medications, activities and pain levels to assist your doctor in treating you. q Know your narcotics: If you are prescribed narcotics for pain relief ask your doctor for specific instructions on how to get off them as many quickly create physical dependence. Be very clear about what the side effects are while using them and for getting off them. You can see my experience at my recovery page. q Manage your narcotics: Take them only and exactly as prescribed. Keep a log of every dose you take. If your pain relief is insufficient use your pain charts to help the doctors help you. Don’t fall for the temptation to just take pills until you feel better. Stay on the prescribed schedule and talk to your doctor. Taking more narcotics than prescribed is very dangerous. If the prescription isn’t working your doctor may be able to find a different medication that works better. q Do the exercises: If you have an injury or illness that requires exercises, do them exactly and as often as prescribed. There is a reason for everything. Even the simplest thing that may not make sense or seems to easy can be of real benefit to your recovery. For example, with my broken hip I didn’t place much emphasis on tightening my leg muscles while I was bed ridden but I learned later that it really helps muscle tone and helps prevent deadly blood clots. q Breathe: If you have been under general anesthesia and they give you one of those silly blue tubes to blow into, do it. That and sitting up really help reduce the chance of pneumonia. q Wear the silly socks: The hospital gave me TEDS those tight calf length stockings with no toes to wear as soon as I was out of surgery. They are a pain to get on and off but they really do help prevent blood clots. Wear them as directed. q Move: Move every chance you get no matter how little it is. Your muscles and circulation will appreciate you for it later. Sometimes the best I could do was to pump my toes to and fro in bed and other days I was circling the room with my walker. Everyone I talked to said movement was vital. q Therapy: Take advantage of every bit of therapy that is offered. Talk with the therapists. Ask them for advice and stay engaged in the process. Let them know what you are experiencing both good and bad so they can gauge your progress toward recovery and adjust as necessary. If you run out of insurance coverage for physical therapy and can’t do it at home take out a short term membership at a gym and follow your therapist’s recommendations. Three months cost me $99 and I used every penny of it to good benefit. I’m looking at inexpensive Tai Chi classes at the community center as a next phase of rehabilitation. q Watch your heels: I was in bed on my back for most of three months. If I didn’t elevate my calves on pillows or pads to keep my heels off the sheets, they became so painful that even the weight of the sheets was too much. In rehab they applied a protective solution every night and slipped rolled towels under my legs. q Watch for pressure sores: Get medical advice on how to avoid them and get treatment immediately if you find them. q Be alert for stress and depression: A major illness or injury not only impacts the body but also the mind. Discuss this with your doctor. Watch out for the same issues if you are a caretaker. It can creep up on you. q Do it: No matter how little you can do, do it. Try not to fall into the trap of being dependent on others for everything. One of the best things that happened for me was about the 3rd morning in residential rehab with the patient care assistant placed a wash basin on my table next to my clothes and just looked at me with a smile. I quickly understood what she meant and said if she would wash my feet I’d do everything else. It wasn’t long before I could do everything except for my left foot. That hip was still mad at me after surgery. q Act normal: Every little step toward normalcy is a step toward strength and recovery. My wife and I joked that my limited state was the “new normal.” And new normal was temporary. q Celebrate: Celebrate every little victory. That way your road to recovery will be marked by positive steps. q Remember that attitude is a choice: It is not to us to devise the nature of our challenges only our path through them. When you are broken or ill your attitude may be the only thing that you have left in your control. All those around you will benefit from your positive attitude. It can make a difficult journey less so.
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Give thanks: While you are expecting perfection from your
healthcare providers remember to give them thanks for the job that they are
doing for you. Many doctors, nurses, aides, therapists and others are
overworked or burned out. They will appreciate the fact that you appreciate
them and are more likely to give you better treatment. See “A
Patient’s Prayer.” Give them a copy with a personal note of thanks.
Thanks to all those family, friends and professionals who helped me on my path to recovery. Steven Martin
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Patient survival tips. What you need to know to help save your life in the healthcare system. |
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(c) 2006 - 2011 Steven C. Martin www.positive-way.com/recovery All rights reserved. |
