You know your upcoming surgery at a Pennsylvania medical facility is for the betterment of your health, but that most certainly does not mean you are not nervous about it. You hate to think about something going wrong during the surgery, but know it is a possibility.
HCA Healthcare has a few tips you can put to good use to help prevent errors. Give medical professionals a bit of assistance in doing a good job.
Proper identification
When you arrive at the hospital, be sure you accurately fill out all paperwork in regards to your identity, treatment and/or medical service. If the hospital already has your info on file, double-check it for accuracy and to ensure it is current. Ask if the facility has two forms of identification for all blood samples, medication and surgery.
Errors during the medical procedure
Before your surgery, inquire about whether all necessary medical equipment for your procedure matches your identifiers. Hospital staff should go over all the information with you before the surgery. Additionally, medical professionals may mark the surgical site on your body before the procedure.
Reduce your risk of infection
The hospital and medical staff take measures to reduce the risk of infection, but there is a lot you can do on your own. For instance, you and your visitors should scrub your hands clean with antibacterial soap before and after your procedure, the same applies to your nurses and other medical staff. It is also best that you stick to a healthy diet before your surgery.
This information is only intended to educate and should not be interpreted as legal advice.
