Doctors and Patients Together Can Prevent Medical Errors

According to a new Commonwealth Fund 2001 Health Care Quality Survey released this past April, 22% of individuals asked stated that they or a family member experienced a mistake in a doctor's office or hospital or were given the wrong medication or dose. About half (51%) of those who experienced an error reported it as serious.

Speaking at the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons' (AAOS) Orthopaedics Update 2002 web conference, James H. Herndon, MD, AAOS first vice president and professor of orthopaedic surgery at Harvard Medical School and chairman, department of orthopaedic surgery at Massachusetts General and Brigham Women's Hospital in Boston, Mass. said, "As the analysis from the Commonwealth Survey says --the American health care system is unparalleled in technological sophistication and medical advancements, yet we fall far short of the ideal when it comes to the safety and efficacy of our health care services."

The majority of medical errors result from equipment failures, misread lab reports, mismatching of blood during transfusions, misread prescriptions and wrong-site surgery. According to the Institute of Medicine's (IOM) widely circulated 1999 report "To Err is Human," up to 98,000 deaths occur each year as the result of medical errors -- more than are caused by motor vehicle accidents, breast cancer and AIDS combined. The IOM report estimates that these medical errors cost the United States approximately $29 billion each year.

"Medical errors must and can be prevented," said Dr. Herndon. "While it's imperative that reformative safety measures take place on all levels including health care leaders, hospital systems, insurers, doctors and health care workers, there are things that patients can do to prevent themselves from becoming victims of medical error."

Dr. Herndon recommends the following tips for making sure the health care you receive is safe and effective whether it's an office visit or hospital stay.

*Be your own advocate and ask questions -- make sure you understand the purpose of a treatment or medication.*Make sure that all health care professionals involved in your care have important health information about you. Do not assume everyone knows everything they need to.*Bring someone along with you to act as a second pair of eyes and ears. They may be able to remember things you don't and they can monitor your care while you're under the effects of anesthesia. *If you have a test, don't assume no news is good news -- ask about the results.*Make sure your doctor knows about every medication you are taking including prescriptions, over-the-counter medicines and dietary supplements such as vitamins and herbs.*Make sure your doctor knows about any allergies and adverse reactions you have had to medicines.*When your doctor writes you a prescription, ask that the purpose for the medication be included and make sure you can read it.*Double-check that you have the correct medication when you pick it up at the pharmacy.*When having surgery, if possible choose a hospital that performs the procedure or surgery on many patients.*During a hospital stay, do not let anyone give you medications without checking your hospital ID bracelet every time.*Check your health care professional's fingernails. It's a good sign of his or her cleanliness. If you feel the need, ask him or her to wash their hands before they touch you. *If you are having surgery, make sure that you and the health care professionals treating you all agree and are clear on what exactly will be done.

The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons takes patient safety very seriously. AAOS sponsors the "Sign Your Site" program, which calls for a national effort among surgeons, hospitals and other health care providers to mark the operative site with their initials in order to eliminate wrong-site surgeries. AAOS also has a Patient Safety Committee that reports directly to the Board of Directors at the Academy and a Patient Safety Coalition that is currently developing programs to improve patient safety from the national to the state and local communities where it must be practiced. For more information, visit please visit www.aaos.org.

An orthopaedic surgeon is a physician with extensive training in the diagnosis and nonsurgical as well as surgical treatment of the musculoskeletal system, including bones, joints, ligaments, tendons, muscles and nerves.

The 25,500 member American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (www.aaos.org) or (http://orthoinfo.aaos.org), is a not-for-profit organization that provides education programs for orthopaedic surgeons, allied health professionals and the public. An advocate for improved patient care, the Academy is participating in the Bone and Joint Decade (www.boneandjointdecade.org/us), the global initiative in the years 2002-2011 to raise awareness of musculoskeletal health, stimulate research and improve people's quality of life. President Bush has declared the years 2002-2011 National Bone and Joint Decade in support of these objectives.