SAVE THE PATIENTSM NEWSLETTER

March 2003

According to a report published by the Institute of Medicine more than $17 billion is wasted each year in medical errors that could have been prevented. The Institute reported in the fall of 2000 that approximately 98,000 individuals die each year from errors committed while under the treatment of a licensed physician. Save the Patient believes many health care system errors could be eliminated by ensuring that patients exercise their rights and come properly prepared when visiting a health professional.

HEALTH CARDS AVAILABLE

Save the Patient has taken another step forward in helping educate individuals about their rights in our health care system. The Save the Patient Health Caring Cards are now available. These cards describe, in easy to understand language, a patient’s rights and important questions to ask a doctor or pharmacist in order to have a successful medical experience. The Cards are designed to guide the user in gathering the information necessary before visiting the doctor and provides questions to ask during the visit. One of the most important issues physicians report is the lack of medical history provided by many patients, in particular non-English speaking patients. The cards are available in Spanish, Polish, Korean and Chinese to help reach these populations. The cards have 5 subject areas: Patient Rights: What you should do before you go to the doctor or hospital; Questions to ask during your visit; Questions regarding medications; and a Health history section. Individuals are encouraged to carry the cards at all times. The cards are enclosed in a plastic sleeve that fits easily into a wallet or purse. Those interested in previewing the cards can view the contents on the Save the Patient Web site (Save the Patient.org). If you wish a copy of the card contact us online or send a stamped self-addressed envelope to Save the Patient, 260 E. Chestnut St. #1712, Chicago, IL 60611.

COVER THE UNINSURED WEEK MARCH 10-16, 2003

Cover the Uninsured Week is a major effort to establish the issue of the uninsured as a top priority and to encourage our nation to seek solutions for the more than 41 million Americans who have no health insurance. Save the Patient is joining the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and some of the most influential organizations in the United States in celebrating this unprecedented series of national and local events. Save the Patient will be sponsoring a booth at the Cover the Uninsured Health Care Fair sponsored by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation at Truman College, 1145 W. Wilson Ave. on Wednesday, March 12, from noon to 7 P.M. Save the Patient Health Cards will be available. The Health Fair at Truman College will bring together health care providers, hospitals, community clinics, local health departments, community organizations and physicians and nurses. Attendees can receive free medical screenings, testing and immunizations. During the Health Fair organizations will also enroll eligible uninsured adults and children in public health coverage programs such as SCHIPS and Medicaid. For more information go to the web site at: CoverTheUninsured.org. In Chicago contact: Cover the Uninsured Week c/o Illinois Maternal & Child Health Coalition, 1256 W. Chicago Ave., Chicago, IL 60622 or call 312-491-8171.

DISTURBING FACTS

• The National Patient Safety Foundation, as published in the New England Journal of Medicine, reports that 42% of people surveyed say they have been affected by physician error, either committed on them or on a friend or family member.
• Medical errors in the United states are estimated between 44,000 and 98,000 annually, accounting for more deaths than those from motor vehicle crashes, breast cancer or AIDS, and costing $37 Billion each year.
• An estimated 1.3 million Americans are injured and at least 400 die each year from medication errors, reports the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
• Of the approximately 105,000 deaths linked to hospital germs in 2000, 75,000 were preventable and represent the fourth leading cause of mortality among Americans, behind heart disease, cancer and strokes according to the Federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

HOW CAN YOU HELP?

The imbalance between the growing wealth of medical information and technology and the lack of knowledge and understanding by the general public increases day by day, creating an ever widening communication gap between providers and patients. Recognizing the dilemma, Save the Patient aims at mitigating this imbalance by providing the needed information through Patient Advocacy, Community Outreach, Educational Seminars, the Internet and Health Caring Cards. Save the Patient is a 501c (3) organization dedicated to the support and education of individuals on health care matters. The organization does not practice medicine or represent professional/medical diagnosis or treatment modalities. Save the Patient will assist individuals in understanding the wide array of choices they have in their medical care and treatment. You can help by sending a donation to: Save the Patient, 260 E. Chestnut St. #1712, Chicago, IL 60611 or call 312-440-0630, or visiting our web site at Savethepatient.org. Contributions are tax deductible.

NATIONAL PATIENT SAFETY AWARENESS WEEK

The National Safety Foundation is sponsoring the National Patient Safety Awareness Week, March 9-15. This begins a national educational campaign to inform the public on how to reduce medical errors. The best way to protect you and your family is to become an informed health care consumer. SAVE THE PATIENT supports this effort and encourages you to call or write us for your Health Caring Cards to help you understand your rights, know what questions to ask, and know how to better communicate with your health care provider.