By Kathy Day
May 11th, 2011

One in three hospitalized patients nationwide are harmed by medical error or hospital-acquired infection, according to a recent study published by the journal Health Affairs. While hospitals, private agencies and government groups try to reach consensus on the best way to reduce medical errors and infections, there are a number of steps patients and their families can take to protect their health and safety:

1. Maintain your own personal medical record, including current medications, and take it with you to all medical appointments and to the hospital if you are admitted. Always identify yourself to your caregivers if they do not ask your name first, so you do not receive medications or treatments intended for someone else.

2.  Have a living will and be sure your doctor has a copy.

3.  Be truly informed before consenting to treatment. Educate yourself about all your medications, any proposed surgeries and procedures, your hospital and your doctors. Look up your hospital and health care providers at the independent Health Grades website, the Medicare program’s Hospital Compare , the Maine Health Management Coalition ’s site and the online records of the Maine Board of Licensure in Medicine.

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