The Joint Commission, the national body that accredits hospitals, has launched a new campaign to encourage parents to be vigilant about their children’s medical care, ask the right questions, and be engaged – at the doctor’s office, in the hospital and at home.
The program, part of a broader educational initiative called “Speak Up,” aims to protect children from potentially deadly medical errors, which a 2008 study by the National Initiative for Children’s Health Care Quality showed harm one in 15 hospitalized children.
“Your child’s health and safety are important to doctors, nurses and other caregivers, and the best way to make sure that your child receives the care that he or she needs is by being an active member of the health care team,” said Dr. Mark R. Chassin, president of the Joint Commission, in a news release. “Through the Speak Up program, The Joint Commission is helping parents by giving them the tools they need to ask the right questions and take action before, during and after their child’s care.”
The campaign offers questions and answers to help guide parents through a range of scenarios, including how to prepare for a visit to the doctor, how to identify symptoms that require immediate medical attention, what questions to ask the doctor, how to take medicine safely, and things to be aware of when having a test, going to the hospital or having surgery.
The key message of “Speak Up” is that patients – and parents and guardians of pediatric patients – should speak up if they have questions or concerns, and keep asking until they’re satisfied with the answers. It also urges them to pay attention to the care they get, make no assumptions, educate themselves about their illness, and ask a trusted friend or relative, if needed, to help them advocate for themselves.
“Speak Up” brochures also are available on pain relief, understanding caregivers, medical tests, recovering after leaving the hospital, preventing medication mistakes, preventing infections, preparing to become a living organ donor, avoiding wrong-site surgery and preventing errors in care.
To learn more about the program or download brochures – which are also available in Spanish – go to www.jointcommission.org.
