Frequently Asked Questions
Note: It is the medical community’s obligation to ensure patient safety and quality medical care. Unfortunately, errors occur. Below are some proactive steps you, or your advocate, can take to protect you.
What can I do to reduce my risk of contracting a hospital infection?
1. Ask to be tested for Methicillen-resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (MRSA), which involves a simple nasal swab, one week before your hospital admission. Approximately one third of the population carries Staphylococcus Aureus on their skin. If you carry it, extra precautions can be taken before, during and after surgery.
2. Three to five days before surgery, shower with 4%chlorhexidine soap to remove bacteria from your skin.
3. Ask hospital staff to clean their hands with an alcohol-based hand sanitizer before touching you.
4. Ask that stethoscopes and related equipment be wiped with alcohol before touching you.
5. Make sure an IV is inserted under sterile conditions and changed every 3 days.
6. Avoid use of a urinary tract catheter if possible.
7. Ask your doctor about pre-surgical antibiotics.
8. Ask your doctor to keep you warm during surgery. A decline in body temperature can impair immune function and blood flow and increase the risk of infection.
What can I do to reduce my risk of medical errors?
1. Medication
a. Make a list of every medicine you are currently taking, including over-the-counter medications, dietary supplements and herbs.
b. Make sure that any medicine you are taking for chronic conditions, such as high blood pressure, are continued in the hospital.
c. Make sure the information on your wrist band is accurate and that hospital staff check it before administering medication or performing medical tests.
d. Make sure you can read your doctor’s prescription, that you know what the medicine is for, how to take it and for how long, what side effects are likely, and what food, drink or activities are to be avoided while taking the medicine.
2. Hospital Stays
a. If possible, choose a hospital at which many patients have the procedure or surgery you need.
b. Ask the surgeon to autograph your surgery site.
c. If possible, bank your blood.
d. Make sure a clear treatment plan is explained to you upon discharge.
3. Other steps
a. Make sure your doctor is aware of your medical history.
b. If you have a test, ask about the results. Don’t assume no news is good news.
c. Ask a family member or friend to be your advocate in case you cannot be.
d. Most importantly, be an active participant in your own health care!
What can I do to ensure responsible medical care in Maryland?
Contact your representative in the Maryland legislature (www.mlis.state.md.us) and demand that they support infection control guidelines (the SHEA guidelines) in every Maryland hospital and residential facility, and insist on patient safety legislation (for example, a required nurse to patient ratio) that will make a real difference.