Tips for Safer Health Care
• Be actively involved in your own healthcare. Take part in every decision to help prevent things from going wrong, and get the best possible care for your needs.
• Speak up if you have any questions or concerns. Ask questions. Expect answers that you can understand. Ask a family member, carer or interpreter to be there with you, if you want.
• Learn more about your condition or treatment. Collect as much reliable information as you can. Ask your health care professional:
» What should I look out for?
» Please tell me more about my condition, tests and treatment
» How will the test or treatments help me, and what is involved?
» What are the risks, and what is likely to happen if I don’t have this treatment?
• Keep a list of all medicines you are taking Include:
» Prescriptions and over the counter and complementary medicines. (e.g. vitamins & herbs); and
» Information about drug allergies you may have.
• Make sure you understand the medicines you are taking. Read the label, including the warnings. Make sure it is what your doctor ordered for you. Ask about:
» Directions for use.
» Possible side effects or interactions.
» How long you will need to take it for.
• Get the results of any tests or procedures. Return to your doctor to find out results. Ask what they mean for your care.
• Talk about your options if you need to go into hospital. Ask:
» How quickly does this need to happen?
» Is there an option to have the surgery/procedure done as a day patient, or in an alternative hospital?
• Make sure what will happen if you need surgery or procedure. Ask:
» What will the surgery or procedures involve and are there any risks?
» Are there other possible treatments?
» How much will it cost? Tell your health care professionals if you have allergies or if you have ever had a bad reaction to an anaesthetic or any other drug.
• Make sure you, your doctor and your surgeon all agree on exactly what will be done. Confirm which operation will be performed and where, as close as possible to it happening.
• Before you leave hospital, ask your healthcare professional to explain the treatment plan you will use at home. Make sure you understand your continuing treatment, medicines and follow-up care. Visit your GP as soon as possible after you are discharged.