Michigan Health Plans Join Patient Safety Efforts

Health plans in Michigan are joining together to help educate consumers about the importance of patient safety and how you can play a major role in preventing medical errors for you and/or your family. This is important because medical errors cause many unnecessary deaths every year and many can easily be prevented with more involvement from consumers like you.

Understanding Medical Errors

Medical errors are mistakes in health care that happen when the wrong plan was followed or when something that is planned does not work out. Medical errors can occur anywhere in the health care system including hospitals, clinics, doctor's offices, outpatient centers, nursing homes and pharmacies. It is important to be aware of medical errors because they cause thousands of unnecessary deaths annually.

What Are The Most Common Patient Safety Concerns?

In Michigan, health plans are working to reduce medical errors in three main areas:

• Working with hospitals to ensure they use computers to order prescription medications
• Working with hospitals to ensue they have doctors who work full time in intensive care units
• Working with hospitals to review how many operations are performed each year for certain procedures

Why Is It Important For You To Be Involved In Your Health Care?

Most consumers don't think about patient safety when they receive hospital or other medical treatment or services. But errors can occur and can be reduced when patients make informed decisions. By taking an active part in your health care, you can actually prevent medical errors.