Huguley Memorial Medical Center has joined a coalition formed by the Dallas-Fort Worth Hospital Council to prevent medication errors. The DFW Medication Safety Project: Educate Before You Medicate program encourages consumers to carry a list of all their medications and to provide that list each time they receive health care. The Institute of Medicine’s Committee on Identifying and Preventing Medication Errors estimates that poor communication is responsible for half of the 1.5 million medication errors that result in injuries annually.
The DFW Medication Safety Project identifies three steps for consumers to reduce their risk of medication error:
- Educate: Know what medicines you take and why
- Communicate: Be prepared to accurately communicate your medication information to healthcare providers because not all medicines mix well
- Participate: Protect yourself by carrying a list of the medicines you take, including prescription medication, over-the-counter medication, and herbal supplements. The dosage and how often you take the medication should also be listed.
Click here to download and print a medication form you can store in your purse or wallet.
“We’ve been providing medication wallet cards to our home health patients and hospital patients for some time. By joining the DFW Medication Safety Project, we can take it to the next level and educate the community,” said Lisa Ortner, Huguley Home Health development coordinator. “This isn’t just for seniors. Anyone could wind up in an emergency room, including young people and travelers.”
The medication safety project has a network of partners including the Dallas-Fort Worth Hospital Council, the Dallas and Tarrant County Medical Societies, American Heart Association, Blue Cross/Blue Shield, CVS Pharmacy, Humana, United Healthcare, Walgreens and others.
“We are moving to a model of health care where there is more of a partnership between the patient and the health care providers. If consumers understand what medications they are taking and why, and they communicate this every time they receive health care services, they will significantly reduce their chance of a medication error,” explained Christine Sammer, patient safety officer for Huguley Memorial Medical Center.