We use cookies, including third-party cookies from Google to serve personalized ads through AdSense, to operate this site and understand how it is used. By continuing to browse, you accept this use. See our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use for details, including how to opt out of personalized advertising.
Accept
Health Works CollectiveHealth Works CollectiveHealth Works Collective
  • Health
    • Mental Health
  • Policy and Law
    • Global Healthcare
    • Medical Ethics
  • Medical Innovations
  • News
  • Wellness
  • Tech
Search
© 2023 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
Reading: Being Your Own Patient Advocate
Share
Notification Show More
Font ResizerAa
Health Works CollectiveHealth Works Collective
Font ResizerAa
Search
Follow US
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy
© 2023 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
Health Works Collective > Wellness > Home Health > Being Your Own Patient Advocate
Home HealthMedical EducationPublic Health

Being Your Own Patient Advocate

Anthony Cirillo
Anthony Cirillo
Share
2 Min Read
SHARE



 

Joe and Teresa Graedon’s book “Top Screwups Doctors Make and How to Avoid Them” is an acknowledgment that serious mistakes are made at every hospital in America on a daily basis. Its genesis started with their own nightmare involving Joe’s mother’s care in an NC hospital.


The Graedon’s book contains more than a dozen lists to help patients and families get the best care. It includes:

  • Lists of common mistakes made in hospitals or by doctors and pharmacists.
     
  • Lists of tips to prevent medical errors, dangerous drug interactions and diagnostic disasters.
     
  • Suggestions to promote good communication and survive old age.
Here is some advice:
  • Expect mistakes and have an advocate.
     
  • Check every medicine. Make sure the dose is right.
     
  • Be assertive
  • Demand an explanation.
     
  • Be vigilant during transitions, from one floor to another, or when shifts change.
  • Alert the nurse or “rapid response team,” if something seems wrong.
     
  • Obtain detailed discharge instructions and contact information. Know what symptoms might signal a worsening situation or infection.
     
  • Hospital doctors may never speak to your primary care physician. Take your records and don’t assume doctors already know what’s in them.
     
  • Double-check everything. Don’t assume no news is good news or that test results are always correct.
     
  • Take a friend or family member to doctor’s visits. Nearly every error made in the hospital can also be made in the outpatient setting.

More Read

Professions of Interest in the Medical Field
Can Spiral CT Scans Detect Curable Lung Cancer? But Wait, There’s More!
Low Teen Birth Rates and Universal Health Care
Medical Complications Torture Doctors, Too
Are Epiphanies the Key to Fixing Healthcare?

 

 

TAGGED:patient advocate
Share This Article
Facebook Copy Link Print
Share

Stay Connected

1.5KFollowersLike
4.5KFollowersFollow
2.8KFollowersPin
136KSubscribersSubscribe

Latest News

Workers Comp Claim Denied – Now What?  -- AI-generated illustration
Workers Comp Claim Denied – Now What? 
Policy & Law
October 9, 2026
The Case for Proactive Nutrient Support and Where IV Therapy Fits In -- AI-generated illustration
The Case for Proactive Nutrient Support and Where IV Therapy Fits In
Health Therapies
October 5, 2026
Biofeedback Technology in Addiction Treatment: What the Evidence Shows So Far -- AI-generated illustration
Biofeedback Technology in Addiction Treatment: What the Evidence Shows So Far
Addiction Addiction Recovery
September 28, 2026
Charity Care Is Written Into Hospital Policy. It Rarely Makes It Onto the Bill. -- AI-generated illustration
Charity Care Is Written Into Hospital Policy. It Rarely Makes It Onto the Bill.
Business Hospital Administration
September 25, 2026

You Might also Like

Adverse Drug Reactions Responsible for Nearly 100K Acute Hospitalizations in Elderly

November 28, 2011

Innovating Medicaid with the Medical Home Model

July 29, 2012
august health wonk review
BusinessHealth ReformPolicy & LawPublic Health

Health Wonk Review: August Recess Edition

August 16, 2014

Knee Replacement May Save Lives

March 7, 2012
Subscribe
Subscribe to our newsletter to get our newest articles instantly!
Follow US
© 2008-2026 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy
Welcome Back!

Sign in to your account

Username or Email Address
Password

Lost your password?