Canadian Patient Safety Week, October 29 to November 2, is a reminder that the best health care decisions are made when patients and their health care providers work together as a team, says Dr. Richard Wedge, interim CEO of Health PEI.
“Patient safety and quality are Health PEI’s top priorities, and every person’s involvement helps to make our health care system safer,” Wedge said. “If you don’t understand something about your care, don’t be embarrassed or afraid to ask questions and talk openly with your health care provider.”
Canadian Patient Safety Week is an annual national event that aims to increase awareness of patient safety issues, share information about best practices, and remind the public that good health care starts with good communication. This year’s message is “Good health care starts with a question.” Patients and their families are encouraged to ask questions, listen to the answers, and talk about any concerns they might have with their healthcare providers.
Health PEI’s Patient Safety Strategy provides a coordinated and strategic direction for patient safety in the province. The organization is involved in many national initiatives through the Canadian Patient Safety Institute, such as its Safer Healthcare Now! campaign that focuses on reducing falls, preventing adverse events involving medications, preventing infections and pneumonia, and improving care for people who have had a heart attack.
Health PEI also conducts its own safety initiatives, including educating Islanders and health care providers on the importance of good communication regarding medication use. A patient’s up-to-date and accurate medication list is essential to ensure safe prescribing in any health care setting, Wedge noted.
“One of the first steps a patient can take to get the best and safest care possible is to keep an updated list of their medications, both prescription and non-prescription,” he said. “Most importantly, they should always take this list with them when they visit their health care provider, walk-in clinic or hospital.”
Other actions Islanders can take in their own health care safety include:
• washing their hands often with soap and water or rubbing their hands with hand sanitizer, as clean hands are the most effective way to stop the spread of germs;
• bringing a family member or friend when going to see their family physician or other health care provider, as having another person present can help in understanding information about their health; and
• keeping track of their health by writing down information, concerns and questions they have, along with symptoms they may have been experiencing, to take with them to their next medical appointment.
For more information on Health PEI’s patient safety initiatives, resources and materials, please visit www.healthpei.ca/patientsafety. For more information on Canadian Patient Safety Week, please visit www.asklistentalk.ca.