Personal Health Records / Care Notebooks
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National Guideline Clearinghouse 
http://guideline.gov/
A public resource for evidence-based clinical practice guidelines. NGC is an initiative of the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. NGC was originally created by AHRQ in partnership with the American Medical Association and the American Association of Health Plans (now America's Health Insurance Plans [AHIP]). Click on About NGC to learn more about us.
Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality
20 Tips to Help Prevent Medical Errors 
PDF |
Patient Fact Sheet
Medical errors are one of the Nation's leading causes of death and injury. A recent report by the Institute of Medicine estimates that as many as 44,000 to 98,000 people die in U.S. hospitals each year as the result of medical errors. This means that more people die from medical errors than from motor vehicle accidents, breast cancer, or AIDS. Government agencies, purchasers of group health care, and health care providers are working together to make the U.S. health care system safer for patients and the public. This fact sheet tells what you can do.
20 Tips to Help Prevent Medical Errors in Children Patient Fact Sheet PDF |
Medical errors are one of the Nation's leading causes of death and injury. Rates of medication errors and adverse drug events for hospitalized children were comparable to rates for hospitalized adults in a 2001 study in the Journal of the American Medical Association. However, the rate for potential adverse drug events was three times higher in children, and substantially higher still for babies in neonatal intensive care units. Studies of medical errors outside the hospital are just getting underway. This fact sheet is intended to help parents help their children avoid medical errors.
Be Prepared for Medical Appointments PDF |
Build Your Question List - You can improve your care and the care of your loved ones by taking an active role in your health care. Ask questions. Understand your condition. Evaluate your options.
Ways You Can Help Your Family Prevent Medical Errors! PDF |
Medical errors are mistakes that can happen with your health care. Medical errors can hurt or even kill people. The Government, hospitals, doctors, and others are working hard to prevent medical errors. The tips here show what you can do to help keep you and your family safe. These tips are based on studies by many medical researchers.
Having Surgery? What You Need to Know
/ Questions to Ask Your Doctor and Your Surgeon PDF |
Having Surgery? What You Need to Know is for patients who are facing surgery that is not an emergency. Some of the questions in this document may help you and your family understand more about your surgery, whether it has to be done right away or can be done later. Your doctor or nurse also can help you understand what is being done and why. Don't be afraid to ask questions!
Quick Tips
The single most important way you can stay healthy is to be an active member of your own health care team. One way to get high-quality health care is to find and use information and take an active role in all of the decisions made about your care. From the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, U.S. Department of Health & Human Services.
- When Talking with Your Doctor PDF |
This information will help you when talking with your doctor.
- When Getting Medical Tests PDF |
This information will help you when making decisions about medical tests.
- When Getting a Prescription PDF |
This information will help you when getting a prescription filled.
Emergency Backup & Safety and Prevention Strategies Brochure PDF | 
MS Word |
This brochure was created using feedback from consumer focus groups, peer trainers, and other stakeholders. The brochure provides safety & prevention strategies, planning for backup care, preparing for attendant support during a community-wide disaster, how to minimize risk of theft, and health care emergency instructions and form. The strategies address emergency backup and incident management for consumers directing their own care or who have an authorized representative directing their care. From the Colorado Department of Health Care Policy and Financing.
Emergency Preparedness for Children with Special Health Care Needs
http://www.aap.org/advocacy/emergprep.htm
When a crisis occurs and children with special health care needs must access the emergency system, they are often left vulnerable because of a lack of access to information about their medical problems. There can be delays in treatment, unnecessary tests, and sometimes serious errors as a result of lack of access to information available to the treating emergency physician. To facilitate prompt and appropriate emergency care for children with special health care needs, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and the American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP) have developed an Emergency Information Form which can be used as a tool to transfer critical information about these children.
Patient at Risk
http://www.wiaap.org/patient-at-risk.php | |
A free, web-accessible database for Emergency Information Forms (EIFs) for patients and families across Wisconsin. Patient at Risk gives emergency medical providers fast access to information about your child's health