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Health Care and Patient Safety Tips

Check out ValueOptions' Achieve Solutions website. You'll find information on handling stress, children's matters and managing work and life; as well as interactive quizzes, and spotlights on current medical and mental health issues.
Click here for Achieve Solutions.
Health Plan's Nurse Advisory Line
  Health Plan's Nurse Advisory Line

The Health Plan's Nurse Advisory Line provides an Audio Health Library to help you answer a medical question or to give you more information about a healthcare subject. Click here for a list of topics and associated topic numbers. Call our Nurse Advisory Line at 1-888/993-0333, choose "Audio Health Library" from the menu options, enter the 4-digit topic number, and hear a tape about the healthcare topic.

 
Healthcare Tips
  Healthcare Tips

The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), Department of Health and Human Services offers these tips when you are talking to your doctor:

  • Give information. Don't wait to be asked
    • Tell your doctor what you think he or she needs to know
    • Even if it makes you feel embarrassed or uncomfortable, tell your doctor personal information
    • Bring a "health history" list with you, and other medical information such as x-rays
    • Always bring any medications you are taking, or a list of those medicines
  • Get information
    • Ask questions. Write the questions down before you visit
    • You may want to bring someone along to help you ask questions or remember answers
    • Take notes. Ask your doctor to draw pictures if that helps explain something
  • Take information home
    • Ask for written instructions
    • Your doctor may have brochures and audio or video tapes that can help, or know where to get some
  • Once you leave the doctor's office, follow-up
    • If you have questions, call
    • If your symptoms get worse, or you have problems with medicines, call
    • If you had tests and do not hear from your doctor, call for results
    • If you need certain tests, make appointments and have the tests done
    • If your doctor said you should see a specialist, make an appointment


 
Preventing Prescription Drug Medical Errors
  Preventing Prescription Drug Medical Errors

Here are some excellent tips about preventing medical errors with prescription medications, from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ).

  • Make sure all of your doctors know about all prescription and over-the-counter medications and dietary supplements you are taking.
  • Make sure your doctor knows about any allergies and adverse reactions to medicines.
  • When your doctor writes a prescription, be sure you can read it.
  • Ask for information about your medicines: What is it for? How am I supposed to take it and for how long? What are the side effects and what do I do if they occur? Is this medicine safe to take with other medicines/dietary supplements I am taking? Is there anything I should avoid while I'm taking the medicine?
  • When you receive medication, make sure it is the medication your doctor prescribed.
  • If you have questions about directions on your medicine labels, ask.
  • Ask for written information about the side effects your medication could cause.

The Health Plan's Prescription Drug Mail Service and Retail Pharmacies check for any potential drug interactions when they fill your prescriptions. Written safety precautions are sent with every new prescription mailed by the Mail Service Pharmacy.


 
Healthcare and Patient Safety Tips
  Healthcare and Patient Safety Tips

Following are links to other websites for more information on healthcare and patient safety:


 

 

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Tips to Take Charge and Get the Care You Need:

Immunizations

Getting Second Opinions

Help Your Kids Stop Smoking

Straight From the Heart

Reading the Label

Trans Fats

Women and Heart Disease

When You Travel, Our Travel Network is Only a Phone Call Away

Getting Ready for Surgery

Picture of Health

Finding Quality Healthcare

Help After Your Diagnosis

A Partnership With Your Doctor

Finding the Right Doctor

Talking To Your Doctor

How a Primary Care Physician Helps With Your Care

Ambulatory Surgical Centers

When You Need Surgery

Taking the Test

Specialists and What They Do

Protections for Safer Hospitals

Keeping the Record Straight

Stay On-Track With Your Healthcare

Health Plan's Online Health Library

Nurse Advisory Line

Blueprint for Quality

Get Educated about Healthcare

Award-Winning Achieve Solutions and Online Health Library

Organization Aims to Prevent Medication Mistakes at Hospitals

Preventing Medication Errors

Safety with Imaging

Generic Drugs: Are They Really as Good?

Making the Hospital Rounds

Top Hospitals

In Search Of the Right Doctor

Health Information on the Web

Time to get Moving

Lifestyle Changes Help Lower Blood Pressure

Facts About Trans Fats

Making Connections

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APWU Health Plan, 799 Cromwell Park Drive, Suites K-Z, Glen Burnie, MD 21061
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