Media contact:
Charlene D. Hill
Media Relations Manager
630.792.5175
E-mail: chill@jcaho.org
(Oakbrook Terrace, Ill. – January 27, 2005) The Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations today launched a national campaign urging Americans to “Speak Up” to avoid medication mistakes. The nation’s Fortune 1000 companies this week are receiving copies of the Joint Commission’s latest brochure and poster “Things You Can Do to Prevent Medication Mistakes.”
Medication mistakes are the most common type of health care error. An Institute of Medicine report estimates that more than 7,000 patients die each year in hospitals alone due to medication errors. A Journal of the American Medical Association study estimates that 100,000 hospital deaths occur each year due to adverse drug reactions.
While most studies focus only on medication errors in hospitals, the billions of medications prescribed annually at clinics and doctors’ offices, filled at pharmacies and taken at home are also prone to error. Some mistakes are more serious than others, but all medication mistakes can be prevented.
“Employers have a critically important role in developing informed health care consumers among their employed workforce,” says Charles A. Mowll, FACHE, executive vice president, Joint Commission. “The Joint Commission is providing this ‘Speak Up’ advisory to employers as an additional tool they can use to inform their employees about the steps they can take to prevent medication mistakes.”
“America’s workers are our most valuable asset,” says Gerry Shea, assistant to the president for Government Affairs, AFL-CIO. “The Speak Up initiative helps the public play an important role in keeping themselves and their loved ones safe by taking some very easy steps at the doctor’s office, pharmacy, hospital and clinic.”
“Employee misuse of prescription medications contributes to many human capital issues employers face on a day-to-day basis, including absenteeism, disability, worker’s compensation and safety,” says Louise Hartley, president, Employee Assistance Society of North America. “Employers have a vested interest in, as well as a unique forum for, raising public awareness about the human and financial costs of medication errors.”
In addition to sharing the brochure, the Joint Commission is asking employers to encourage their employees to complete the wallet card entitled “My Medication List,” which people can share with their pharmacists, doctors and other caregivers as part of any routine or emergency treatment. The brochure, wallet card and poster may be freely downloaded from the Joint Commission website, www.jcaho.org. The education materials may also be obtained by calling Joint Commission Resources Customer Service at 877.223.6866, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. CT, Monday through Friday.
“Many employers are eager to provide their employees with tools to assist them as health care consumers,” says Sheryl Niebuhr, Ph.D., manager, Total Compensation Resource Center, 3M Corporation. “Tools, such as those provided in the Speak Up campaign, help us support our employees in managing their personal health and in getting quality, safe, and effective health care. When that happens, we all win,” she continues.
Steps people can take to avoid medication errors at the doctor’s office or pharmacy include:
- Keeping a list of current prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, herbs and supplements and sharing this with your doctor. Use the Joint Commission’s free “My Medication List” as a handy reference.
- Reminding your doctor about any allergies or reactions.
- Asking your doctor whether it’s safe to take medications together, or to use certain medications if you take vitamins, herbs and other supplements.
- Understanding that more may not always be better. Ask your doctor how a new medication will help.
- Making sure you can read the doctor’s handwriting on all prescriptions. If you can’t read it, the pharmacist may not be able to either.
- Read the label on your prescription. Does it have your name on it? And is it the correct medicine? Some medicines have names that sound alike and can be confused.
- Finding out whether drinking alcohol is safe with your medicine.
At the hospital or clinic, patients and their families can avoid mistakes by:
- Making sure the doctor or nurse checks your wristband and asks your name before giving medicine.
- Asking the doctor or nurse why you should take a medication and requesting written information about the brand name, generic name and any side effects.
- Speaking up if you think the doctor or nurse is about to give you the wrong medicine.
- Knowing what time you normally take a medicine and letting the doctor or nurse know if that doesn’t happen.
- Telling your nurse or doctor if you don’t feel well after receiving a medicine.
- Asking a friend or relative to get the facts about your medications if you are not well enough to do so.
The Joint Commission is undertaking the medication safety campaign as part of its award-winning “Speak Up” program that urges patients to take an increasingly active role in their own health care. The information on preventing medication mistakes will be provided through the basic framework of the “Speak Up” campaign, which urges patients to:
Speak up if you have questions or concerns, and if you don't understand, ask again. It's your body and you have a right to know.
Pay attention to the care you are receiving. Make sure you're getting the right treatments and medications by the right health care professionals. Don't assume anything.
Educate yourself about your diagnosis, the medical tests you are undergoing, and your treatment plan.
Ask a trusted family member or friend to be your advocate.
Know what medications you take and why you take them. Medication errors are the most common health care errors.
Use a hospital, clinic, surgery center, or other type of health care organization that has undergone a rigorous on-site evaluation against established state-of-the-art quality and safety standards, such as that provided by the Joint Commission.
Participate in all decisions about your treatment. You are the center of the health care team.