ACP American College of Physicians - Internal Medicine - Doctors for Adults

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Patient Safety Tips Archive

Here are tips that have appeared on our Patient Safety Tip of the Week feature.

Writing Prescriptions:
Write both the brand name and the generic name on prescriptions.

Taking Telephone Messages:
Train staff for appropriate and consistent telephone triage.

Organizing Charts:
Have a communal, dedicated space for charts needing write-ups, with a separate bin or file for each physician. In the event of a physician covering for another or a patient call requiring the chart, this makes them much easier to find (rather than hiding in another MD's office).

Exam Room Set-Up:
Standardize exam room set-up: this helps clinicians find things faster, makes it easier to restock, and makes it less likely that a caregiver will make a mistake of picking up the wrong thing.

Communicating with Patients:
Provide each patient a written treatment plan: when and how test results will be communicated, instructions for medication or other action the patient must take (i.e., "drink plenty of fluids"), and why and when a follow-up appointment is needed. This reduces confusion and helps the patient better collaborate in his/ her treatment.

Avoid Mix-Ups:
Mark sound-alike and look-alike packages with stickers and store them separately.

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