It is Important to Stay Involved in Your Medical Care
We have all heard horror stories of someone getting the wrong treatment or a botched surgical procedure, or other examples of outright poor medical care. Doctors say one way to help reduce medical errors is to be an active partner in your care, be it at the doctor’s office, the hospital or pharmacy. If you think your chances of a misdiagnosis, unnecessary surgery, or being given the wrong medication are slim, read the following. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), “an estimated 10% of patients in high-income countries are harmed while receiving hospital care.” A 2021 StatPearls reports, “medical errors result in about 100,000 deaths in hospitals and clinics annually.”
The danger of a misdiagnosis is it results in delayed treatment for the real problem and perhaps a round of the wrong medications. However, before you lay all the blame on the medical profession, experts say many misdiagnoses can be the fault of the patient. Too often a person fails to disclose important facts regarding their medical history, symptoms or honestly report lifestyle habits including alcohol consumption, smoking and diet.
Before you go to your next doctor visit, doctors say taking the time to prepare for the visit helps you use your time most effectively. Remember the actual time you see the doctor is short so you may want to write down the points you wish to discuss. For help, the Johns Hopkins Armstrong Institute Center for Diagnostic Excellence at Johns Hopkins Medicine in Baltimore offers a QuestionBuilder app. It is available from AHRQ at Google Play or the Apple App store and can be used to help you prepare.
Tips to make the most of your visit include bringing a list of your current medications and the dosage as well as how long you have been on it and why you take it. If you worry you may forget something the doctor said, bring a family member or trusted friend. Experts say don’t feel awkward about seeking a second opinion; and if your problem is not getting any better, be persistent.
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