The Role of the Patient in Patient Safety
Patients and Safety
Patients are half the equation in patient safety. Your mode of interaction can encourage a patient to be active in their health care decisions, and patients who are involved in the decision process have better outcomes than passive patients.
There are two models of patient-physician interaction—
Biomedical:
Physician-center interviewing. Physician controls the conversation with his/her questions about the patient's condition. While efficient, this model overlooks the patient's personal concerns, which form an integral part of the patient's experience of the interaction.
Biopsychosocial:
Patient-centered interviewing. Patient's ideas and concerns are paramount in this model of interaction. Patients take an active role as partners in decision-making.
Encouraging the patient to speak
Patients frequently leave what is really bothering them to the end of the interview, so encouraging them to bring it up earlier will save time as well as provide valuable information for diagnosis. Short utterances such as "yes" and "go on" can encourage patients to describe their real issues. Try to avoid leading questions.
Patient rights and responsibilities
The patient has rights and responsibilities at every point in the medical care process.
At the Appointment
Rights:
- To be an active participant in discussions
- To have understandable, legible instructions and prescriptions
- To have an explanation of why a particular course of treatment is recommended
Responsibilities:
- To be open and honest about symptoms, drugs he/she might be taking, medical history
- To voice concerns
- To speak up if he/she doesn't understand
- To check back on test results
At the Pharmacy
Rights:
- To receive the correct prescription
- To receive verbal and written information about how to use the drug
- To have information on drug interactions, side effects, and what to do about them
Responsibilities:
- To check the prescription to make sure it is what the doctor ordered
- To remind pharmacist about other drugs or allergies
- To ask questions if necessary
At Home
Right:
- To research his or her condition using library or Internet tools, etc.
Responsibilities:
- To know the validity of the source of health information
- To verify health information with the physician
Click here
to download a PDF version of these rights and responsibilities for your patients.
For more information on patient-physician communication, look for these pamphlets:
From the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality:
- Twenty Tips to Help Prevent Medical Errors
- Ways You Can Help Your Family Prevent Medical Errors
- Quick Tips—When Talking to Your Doctor
Acrobat PDF format.
Download Acrobat Reader
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Related Links
Online Resources for Patients (Free)
- For Patients & Families
- MedlinePlus.gov (from the National Library of Medicine)
- InformationRx (MedlinePlus.gov)
- Patient Age Policy
![[Word Document]](/graphics/new/doc.gif)
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