How to Avoid Some of the Common Errors that Occur in Outpatient Care

If you read my last post, you’ll know I talked about some of the common mistakes made in outpatient settings, to include doctor’s offices and any type of clinic; errors that can truly make you sick or cause an injury. While most healthcare providers strive to provide excellent care to everyone they see; unfortunately some do not. 

What can you do to prevent medical errors from happening to you? While no one can control everything, and some things can be out of our control, there are some steps you can take to reduce your risk of being on the receiving-end of a medical mistake.

There are also red flags you can keep your eyes open for – telltale signs of a dysfunctional provider, staff and medical team, a poorly run practice, and staff members who don’t care about you or the care they provide.

As in my last post: The situations below are all ones that I have either experienced personally as a patient, or have witnessed when I've accompanied a family member or friend to an appointment...I wish these were not real events and situations, but sadly, they are.

So...buyer and patient beware, and read on...

Photo credit:

Public Domain Photo by the CDC/Debora Cartagena

First the red flags and steps to take when you see them:

Here are some signs that should cause you to reconsider if you want to continue receiving services at any type of doctor’s office, clinic, and medical practice of any kind.

Rushing

What is rushing? A doctor or other provider who runs towards the door and is half way out the door before you’ve had a chance to ask even one question about your new diagnosis, a medication, or his or her synopsis/opinion of your condition.

Providers who rush can and DO make mistakes such as making the wrong diagnosis, giving the wrong drug or dose, or not recommending the appropriate tests, or follow-up visits for the real problem, or for a condition that is in evolution but was missed – and one that needs close monitoring.

Rushed providers may not (and sometimes do not) take the time to tell patients the risks and benefits of a recommended surgery, procedure, or medication. 

High volume practices of any type that stuff patients in by horrific, continuous overbooking practices, should give you cause to pause, step back, and think about the quality of care your provider is delivering to you.

If you see a provider that's always rushed, and you feel comfortable broaching the subject with him or her, discuss the fact that this makes you very concerned and uncomfortable about the quality of care you're receiving. If you're not comfy bringing the topic up and not happy with your care...it may be time to move on. Find another provider. Most likely things will not change, but it may be worth a try if you feel the need to do so.

Stressed Out Staff

If most of the staff seems high strung, rushed, and don’t appear to have the ability to connect with you, your family or other patients, these can be signs of poor working conditions, chronic short staffing, managers that make poor choices and hire the wrong staff, and poor management of the practice and clinic overall. 

Multiple studies have shown that tense, stressed medical staff make more mistakes.

If you witness staff tension, ask to speak with the supervisor or manager. Discuss your concerns with them. If you feel your concerns are not being heard, consider changing providers.

Rudeness

Rudeness can manifest in many ways such as; terse responses from staff to your questions, outright rude behavior directed towards you or a loved one, a condescending attitude directed at you from any staff member, staff that are openly fighting between themselves, and witnessed bullying of one staff member towards another.

Any type of rude behavior can translate into the practice and providers not valuing your business, your health, and your welfare. Who wants to be treated rudely at any time, let alone when you’re sick, injured and worried about your health. Providing the best care to you and the other patients should be the focus of all staff members' attention – and nothing else.

Rude treatment by staff is also a topic you'll want to bring up with the physician/provider in charge, or the nurse or practice manager. 

What additional steps can you take to assure you’re receiving accurate care?

Medications

If you're placed in an exam room and find any type of medication left unattended such as, a filled syringe or cup of oral medications, that spells trouble. This is sloppy, dangerous and negligent. If in fact, this happens to be a medication intended for you, you can refuse it and ask to see your medication being drawn up, or oral medication pulled from its package. 

If you’re given medication samples, you’ll want to check the expiration dates, name of the drug and the dose, to make sure you’re being given the same drug you were told about during your exam and visit.

If you’re picking up any type of prescription from a pharmacy, verify the name of the drug, the dose, and the dosing instructions. Also, check the label to make sure that the pills inside of the bottle, match the description of the drug listed on the label. Example: The label says a round blue tablet with the letters AB on it, and inside your bottle you have an oblong white tablet with different letters or numbers.

If there is any mismatch or if you have any concern there is a problem – don’t take the medication and immediately reach out to your pharmacist and, or prescribing provider to alert them to the problem and get the correct medication.

Labs and Diagnostic Tests

Follow up calls on lab or other tests that you need to take, or need the results of: If you’ve been told you need lab or diagnostic test, and no one has contacted you to schedule the test, or you were not given an order for it, call your doctor’s office to follow up.

If you had tests already and you never received the results, call your doctor’s office and tell them you need your test results so you can be scheduled for a follow-up visit to get your results. 

Tests results can many times result in a new medication being prescribed, a medication that can now be deprescribed (discontinued), a switch to a different drug, or the dose of the same medication lowered or raised. These are some examples of why it’s so important to receive your results. 

Also you may have a new medical diagnosis that you need to know about as a result of the tests you had done. On the flipside, you may no longer have a condition that you thought you had, or were told you once had, due to the findings of your latest test results. 

Last, follow your gut and your heart!! 

If you feel you’ve seen a doctor or other provider who sped through your exam and visit at lightning speed or had their hands on the door knob while speaking with you, have been the recipient of rude behavior, have been given the wrong diagnosis, was prescribed the wrong medication, experienced billing errors, or have any other concerns about the care you're receiving, you may want to seriously consider seeing another provider. 

Maintaining a proactive role in your health and care, and educating yourself from reputable sources for medical information regarding your conditions and medications, can help you stay on a path to better health and safe care.