Patient Safety

At Moncrief Army Community Hospital (MACH),

Your safety is our priority!  Everyone has a role in making health care safe. You, as the patient, can play a vital role in making your care safe by becoming an active, involved and informed participant of your health care team. 

You are the center of the health care team.

You have the right to know about your care and be involved in your care. We encourage you to review this simple advice on patient safety to help us ensure a safer health care experience for you. Speak up if you have questions or concerns and participate in all decisions about your care.

MACH WANTS YOU TO KNOW SOME STEPS YOU CAN

TAKE TO HELP PREVENT ERRORS IN YOUR CARE.

Educate Yourself on your Diagnosis, Medical Tests

you are Undergoing, and your Treatment Plan

If you are having surgery, make sure that you, your doctor, and your surgeon all agree clearly on exactly what will be done and ask to assist with marking the area that is to be operated on, when able.

Make sure you know who is in charge of your care. This is especially important when many people are involved in your treatment, or when you have numerous health problems.

Speak up if you have questions or concerns, and if you do not understand, ask again. We encourage you to discuss your questions and concerns with your physician or any member of your health care team.

If you can, ask a family member or friend to be there with you and to be your advocate. It is important to have someone who can help get things done and speak up for you if you can’t.

Pay Attention to the Care you are Receiving

Know your health care professionals. All MACH Employees – doctors, nurses, and other staff – wear a photo identification badge while on duty. If you are not sure who someone is or what their role is, please ask.

Clean your hands – require that your caregivers do the same. Clean hands prevent the spread of infection and help save lives. We encourage you to remind your caregivers to clean their hands.

Make sure your caregiver confirms who you are, that is, asks your full name, and date of birth before he or she administers a medication or treatment.

Know Your Medications

 Recognize your Medication. If the medications you are given do not look familiar, speak up and alert your doctor, nurse, or pharmacist.

Make sure that all of your doctors know all the medications you are taking. This includes prescription and over-the counter medicines, and dietary supplements such as vitamins and herbs.

Make sure your doctor, nurse, and pharmacist know about any allergies and adverse reactions you have had to medications.

Ask for information about your medications in terms you can understand–both when your medicines are prescribed and when you receive them.

 Thanks for joining our Partnership!

Moncrief Army Community Hospital is proudly accredited by The Joint Commission and works to consistently improve Patient Safety and Quality of Care. Our physicians and staff are proud of the high quality care that we deliver to our patients. To see how we are doing, go to http://www.qualitycheck.org/qualityreport.aspx?hcoid=6600. We appreciate your partnering with us to make sure you have the positive experience that patients have come to expect from MACH.

Something seem unsafe? See something we have missed or something we can do better? Please let us know, we want to hear about it. We welcome your concerns and questions and encourage you to express them to your physicians, nurses, and other staff as they will know whom to contact to correct the situation.

Tips On What To Do Before Your Health Care Appointment

1. Prepare a written list of all medications you are currently taking, to include over the counter (OTC) and herbal medications. Bring this list to the appointment.

2. A written list of questions you want to ask during the visit.

3. Find information to help understand your health conditions, symptoms, or treatment choices.

4. If you perform home blood pressure or blood sugar checks, bring these results to your appointment.

5. Know your medical and surgical history, to include any hospitalizations. It may be easier to remember if you write this down and bring to your appointment.

6. Allow plenty of time to get your appointment and avoid being late.

Know Your Family Medical History

Cancer, diabetes, heart disease and many other disorders have genetic factors passed down through the generations. Knowing your family health history can help your health care practitioner provide better care for you. It can help identify whether you have higher risk for some diseases. It can help your health care practitioner recommend actions for reducing your personal risk of disease. And it can help in looking for early warning signs of disease.

 Go to https://familyhistory.hhs.gov/ to learn more.