PARENTS CALLED ON TO PREVENT MEDICAL ERRORS
The Joint Commission, a health care regulatory group that promotes quality and safety in health care in the United States, has enlisted parents in a national campaign to prevent medical errors in children. The Committee has furnished brochures -- available online, in English and Spanish -- as part of the group's Speak Up campaign.
The campaign's brochures provide parents with questions and answers that can help them navigate many common, yet complex health care situations. Among the topics are:
• Preparing for your child's visit to the doctor's office
• What you should ask the doctor
• How you can help prevent your child from getting an infection
• Taking medicine safely
• Having a blood test, X-ray, MRI or CT scan
• Going to the hospital
• Having a safe operation
The program urges parents and guardians of children to inquiry into the necessity of all tests and treatments for a child's illness or injury. If a parent does not understand what a doctor is saying, tell him or her. By asking questions a parent is helping the doctor understand what information is needed.
The program also recommends that parents remind caregivers to wash or clean their hands before touching children. Hand washing helps prevent infections. Additionally, parents should always pay attention to the care that their child receives, confirming that the child is getting the right treatments and medicines by the right health care professionals. They also encourage parents to ask about the side effects of medicine and the risks of medical tests.
