A Patient's Guide to a Safe Hospital Stay

You Are a Vital Member of Our Health Care Team

We are committed to providing the safest and highest quality health care possible at all times. Every hospital staff member has a role in making health care safe. As a patient, you can assist in ensuring a safer experience with the health care system by being involved and informed about your treatment. If something doesn't seem right, call it to the attention of your physician or health care professional. Question anything that you don’t understand. Patients who are active partners in their health care will have a safer level of care. We appreciate and encourage your active involvement.

Go Ahead, Ask

You are a partner in safety when you ask questions and voice your concerns. Write down questions as they occur to you. Feel free to ask for clarification about changes in your medications, or why a test or other procedure is being performed. Bring a family member or trusted friend with you to act as your advocate. You may need help remembering instructions or addressing your concerns. When possible, designate one family member to act as a liaison between the medical staff and your family. This ensures that your family receives the information it needs, and the staff is able to focus on delivering the care that you need.

Know Your Medications

Your physicians and nurses are working hard to make sure that the medications you may have been taking prior to your hospital stay are continued or discontinued appropriately when you are admitted to the hospital and when you go home. Make sure that you always carry an updated list of your home medications, including over-the-counter medications, herbals, or alternative products, with you at all times and share it with your nurses and physicians when you come to the hospital.

If any of your medications are changed, or new medications started when you leave the hospital, your list should be updated and shared with your caregiver and family physician. If you have questions or concerns about your medications or this process, please be sure to ask.

For more information on "Know Your Medications"

What You Should Expect

• Frequent Identification Checks
  One of the most important steps in ensuring your safety in the hospital is proper identification. Please look at your ID band to make sure that all of the information on it is correct. Then wear your ID band for safety. Your wristband ID will be checked many times during your stay. You may also be asked your name and another identifier, such as your birthday, repeatedly. These are safety precautions put into place to assure that you are receiving the correct medication and treatment that has been ordered for you. Hospital staff should check your wristband and ask your name before administering any medication or treatment. If they fail to do so, remind them before they proceed.

• Receiving Your Medication
  Nurses who give medications will in most cases use a hand-held scanner to read bar codes on your medications, as well as on your ID band. This helps assure that you are receiving the right medication.
  
  
• Surgery Site Identification
  If you are having surgery, the area that is to be operated on may be marked. This is another safety precaution. Speak up if you have any concerns.
  
  
• Health Care Worker Identification
  Health care workers should introduce themselves and their role whenever they enter your room. Look for their name badge. If someone enters your room without a name badge, alert your nurse.
  
  
• Hand Washing (Hand Hygiene) and Glove Use
  Infection and disease can be spread when people don’t wash their hands or decontaminate their hands with alcohol hand gel. It is appropriate for you to ask anyone who touches you whether they have washed or decontaminated their hands. Sometimes wearing gloves will also be appropriate.

Understand Your Treatment Plan

Questions you should ask your nurse or physician include:

• What is wrong with me?
• What needs to be done about it?
• Why is it important?
• What are my choices?

If you are given medical instructions or information that doesn’t make sense to you, ask questions until you fully understand.

“More” is not always better. Ask why a test or treatment is necessary and how it may help you.

All test results should be shared with you. Do not assume that no news is good news. Always share complete information about your medical condition with your family and your caregiver.

Additional Assistance

For additional information, or concerns about your safety, ask for the manager, or contact the Patient Liaison at (231) 935-5051 or patientliaison-mmc@mhc.net.

Security

For the safety of our patients, visitors, and staff, Munson Medical Center Security personnel are onsite around the clock. While in the hospital, Security may be reached in any of the following ways:

• Dial “0” for the switchboard operator
• Page Security at 9-318-9069
• Call Security at extension 5-6700

Partners in Safety

Kalkaska Memorial Health Center
Mercy Hospital Cadillac
Mercy Hospital Grayling
Munson Medical Center
Paul Oliver Memorial Hospital
West Shore Medical Center

Munson Medical Center
1105 Sixth Street
Traverse City, MI 49684

If you are a Munson Healthcare patient and have a compliment, concern, or complaint, please contact one of our Patient Liaisons.

If your concerns are not addressed by the hospital's management, you may contact the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations at 1-800-994-6610 or complaint@jcaho.org.

We welcome your comments and suggestions about this Web site.