Understanding the often complex medical information given by doctors or other caregivers can be difficult, and the consequences of misunderstanding this information can be life threatening. The Joint Commission is launching a national campaign to help Americans prevent healthcare errors by promoting "health literacy"-the ability of patients to obtain, process, and understand the basic information and services needed to make appropriate decisions regarding their health. The new education campaign is part of the Joint Commission's award-winning national Speak Up program, which helps patients become more informed and involved in their healthcare.
For patients who may have difficulty comprehending the information needed to make important decisions about their care, navigating the healthcare system can be daunting. Complex forms, conversations with doctors, medication instructions, and coping with a real or perceived lack of attention from hospital personnel all place high demands on patients. Factor in the growing number of people who must manage one or more chronic health conditions, such as hypertension, coronary artery disease, or diabetes, and the impacts of health literacy are profound.
"Understanding Your Caregivers" offers patients questions and answers that will help them to better understand the care they receive. Among the topics are the following:
* What can you do if you do not understand what your caregiver is saying?
* What can you do if your caregiver explains and you still do not understand?
* How do you understand all the instructions related to medicines or even remember all of the medicines?
The basic foundation of Speak Up urges patients to do the following:
Speak up if you have questions or concerns, and if you do not understand, ask again. It is your body, and you have a right to know.
Pay attention to the care you are receiving. Make sure you are getting the right treatments and medications by the right healthcare professionals. Do not assume anything.
Educate yourself about your diagnosis, the medical tests you are undergoing, and your treatment plan.
Ask a trusted family member or friend to be your advocate.
Know what medications you take and why you take them. Medication errors are the most common healthcare errors.
Use a hospital, clinic, surgery center, or other type of healthcare organization that has undergone a rigorous on-site evaluation against established state-of-the-art quality and safety standards, such as that provided by the Joint Commission.
Participate in all decisions about your treatment. You are the center of the healthcare team.
Speak Up brochures are available on understanding medical tests, recovering after leaving the hospital, preventing medication mistakes, preventing infections, preparing to become a living organ donor, avoiding wrong-site surgery, and preventing other errors in care. The brochures are available in an easy-to-read format and can be found at http://www.jointcommission.org.