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Five Steps to Safer Health Care
1. Ask questions if you have doubts or concerns.
Ask questions and make sure you understand the answers. Choose a doctor you feel comfortable talking to. Take a relative or friend with you to help you ask questions and understand the answers.
2. Make sure you understand what will happen if you need surgery.
Make sure you, your doctor, and your surgeon all agree on exactly what will be done during the operation. Ask your doctor, “Who will manage my care when I am in the hospital?”
Ask your surgeon, "Exactly what will you be doing? About how long will it take? What will happen after the surgery? How can I expect to feel during recovery?" Tell the surgeon, anesthesiologist, and nurses about any allergies, bad reaction to anesthesia, and any medications you are taking.
3. Talk to your doctor about which hospital is best for your health needs.
Ask your doctor about which hospital has the best care and results for your condition if you have more than one hospital to choose from. Be sure you understand the instructions you get about follow-up care when you leave the hospital.
4. Get the results of any test or procedure.
Ask when and how you will get the results of tests or procedures. Don’t assume the results are fine if you do not get them when expected, be it in person, by phone, or by mail. Call your doctor and ask for your results. Ask what the results mean for your care.
5. Keep and bring a list of ALL the medicines you take.
Give your doctor and pharmacist a list of all the medicines that you take, including nonprescription medicines. Tell them about any drug allergies you have. Ask about side effects and what to avoid while taking the medicine. Read the label when you get your medicine, including all warnings. Make sure your medicine is what the doctor ordered and know how to use it. Ask the pharmacist about your medicine if it looks different than you expected.
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services in partnership with American Hospital Association American Medical Association
Pub No. AHRQ 03-M007
Special Services
Living Wills and Health Care Power of Attorney
If you are 18 or older and mentally competent, you have the right to make decisions about your medical treatment. If you want to control decisions about your health care, even if you are unable to make or express them yourself, you will need an Advance Directive. This is a set of instructions you give about the health care you want, in the event you lose the ability to make decisions for yourself. There are two kinds of Advance Directives: a Living Will and a Durable Medical Power of Attorney. When you are admitted, your nurse will ask you if you have an Advance Directive. If you do, please provide copies to us so that we may keep them on file. We will be more than happy to assist you with completing these items, should you wish to do so while you are here. Please speak to your nurse if you would like more information.
Ethics Committee
There may be a time when you are called on to make a decision about health care for yourself or for a loved one. This can often be a confusing, frightening, or painful task. Preston Memorial Hospital utilizes an Ethics Committee to assist you. The Committee is a team of professionals who can help you resolve specific ethical issues and sometimes dilemmas regarding your healthcare. To access the Ethics Committee, please contact any staff member.
Mail
Letters and packages are delivered to our guests each morning. If mail is delivered after you have been discharged, the mail is forwarded to your address provided on admission. Flowers will also be delivered in the same manner. There are times when flowers cannot be kept in patient areas due to some illnesses.
In this case, we will suggest that you send the flowers home with a family member or friend, or we will be glad to care for them at the nursing station until your discharge. Newspapers may be purchased at the entrance to the hospital.
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| Contact Information |
Terrie Roth
(304) 329-1400 x 710 |
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