Tips About Medication Safety

When you think about Patient Safety, a hospital or doctor’s office probably comes to mind. But, your own home is another place where you need to be aware of patient safety. By preventing accidents, like falls or burns, you can keep from becoming an ER patient. Another important part of patient safety at home is to take the right amount of the right medicine at the right time. Also, use care with any kind of medical equipment at home.

• Make sure that all of your doctors know about everything you are taking. This includes prescription and over-the-counter medicines, and dietary supplements such as vitamins and herbs.
  
• Make sure your doctor knows about any allergies or problems you have had to medicines. This can keep you from getting a medicine that can harm you. Ask that the purpose of the medicine be written on the prescription slip and make sure you can read it. If you can’t, your pharmacist might not be able to read it either.
  
• Ask for information about your medicines in terms you can understand—both when your medicines are prescribed and when you receive them. What is the medicine for? How am I supposed to take it, and for how long? What side effects are likely? What do I do if they occur? Is this safe to take with other medicines or supplements I am taking? What food, drink, or activities should I avoid while taking this medicine? What are the brand and generic names of the medications? When is the best time to take it? What should I do if I miss a dose? Does this replace anything else I was taking? Where and how do I store it?
  
• When you pick up your medicine from the pharmacy, ask what it is for. Make sure it is the same reason the doctor gave you. A Massachusetts study found that 88 percent of medicine errors involved the wrong drug or the wrong dose.
  
• If you have any questions about the directions on your medicine labels, ask. Medicine labels can be hard to understand.
  
• Ask your pharmacist for the best device to measure liquid medicine. Also, ask questions if you’re not sure how to use it. Household teaspoons often do not hold a true teaspoon of liquid. Too much medicine could be harmful, especially to children. Special devices, like marked syringes, help people to measure the right dose. Being shown how to use the devices helps even more.
  
• Ask for written information about the side effects your medicine could cause. If you know what might happen, you will be better prepared if it does happen. That way, you can get help before it gets worse.

This information is provided by the member health plans of the Michigan Inter-Plan Patient Safety Council. Contact your health plan with questions or comments.