"Questions Are the Answer"

The Agency for HealthCare Research and Quality has launched a new national public awareness campaign to encourage patients to become more proactive and assertive in their medical care. The idea is that if patients ask the right questions at the right time, then medical errors might be reduced. Here are a few of the questions they suggest asking:

What is the test for?
How many times have you done this?
When will I get the results?
Why do I need this surgery?
Are there any alternatives to surgery?
What are the possible complications?
Which hospital is best for my needs?
How do you spell the name of that drug?
Are there any side effects?
Will this medicine interact with medicines that I'm already taking?

Honestly, I can't get my Mom to ask any questions of her health care provider, much less these. Click here to access the general website; click here to access "20 Tips to Prevent Medical Errors."