Blog 4

Quick Tips—When Getting a Prescription

My quality tool provides tips when getting a prescription.

One thing that caught my attention in this article is that the most important thing you can do for your health is to tack responsibility for your health care. You really need to be an active part of your health care team. Anytime you begin taking a new medicine, you should ask questions about that medication.

Communicating the medications you take is a very important part of your health care. Because medications can contradict, your physician needs to know everything you take—including over the counter drugs and herbal supplements. When I visit the doctor, I tell the triage nurse everything I take. If the doctor wants to prescribe a medication, I remind him of the medications I take and ask if they contraindicate.

Another tip is to check your medication after the pharmacist gives it to you. Recently I filled a prescription and when I got home I noticed it was the wrong strength. If I had checked it at the pharmacy I could have had the error corrected right then.

What’s most important is to remember that you are ultimately responsible for your health care.

http://www.ahrq.gov/consumer/quicktips/tipprescrip.pdf


Accreditation Process

Tips for Communicating Your Survey Results

Surveys can be an excellent tool for collecting data. This article is about a survey that collects information about you.

There are times when we have a problem that we don’t think is bad enough to go to the doctor to have checked out, but it is still a problem. This concerned Dr. John Wassan, a practicing physician, researcher and professor at Dartmouth Medical School and IHI faculty member. So, about 20 years ago he designed a survey to help patients take better care of themselves. The survey has evolved to keep up with healthcare and technology. Today anyone can take this survey on the internet at http://www.ihi.org/ihi/gateway.aspx?target=http://www.howsyourhealth.org.

Patients who take this survey can bring the results with them when they see the doctor. This helps the patient communicate health problems and helps the physician treat the patient.

I know that the surveys we are studying this week aren’t exactly this type of survey, I believe is a very beneficial tool in taking an active role in our health care.

I actually took this survey and am posting my results.
 
HowsYourHealth Completed http://www.howsyourhealth.org/end
Thank you for completing the Improve Your Medical Care questionnaire.
Age: 18-49
Gender: Female
BMI: 23.1
ASSETS
Provider:______________________ Date:___________ Signature:
© 1997-2008 FNX Corporation and Trustees of Dartmouth CollegeA// Rights Reserved.
1 of 1 9/18/2008 7:16PM
FUNCTION HABITS KNOWLEDGE PREVENTION
Has enough
money
Does not smoke
.
Does not drink excessively Birth control
.
Sexual diseases
Mammography/Cholesterol Had pap test Had breast cancer exam
Does breast
self-exam
NEEDS
CLINICIAN ASSESSMENTS REFERRALS/ACTIONS READINGS/EDUCATION
FUNCTION Dfficulty with pain
D/ficulty with physical fitness • Exercise and Eating Well
• Health Habits and Health
SYMPTOMS/BOTHERS Decisions
Dizziness/Tiredness • Common Medical
Back pain Conditions
• Daily Activities and
CONCERNS OR FAMILY Managing Limitations
HISTORY • Pain
Exercise/nutrition needs • Tiredness and Sleep
Preventing cancer/heart disease Problems
Ear/eye/mouth care • Women’s Health
Heart trouble/arteries
HABITS
Generally not good health habits
PREVENTION
RISK-RELATED CONSIDERATIONS
High blood pressure Major
ftinctional limit or more than three
OTHER bothersome problems
Italics Clinician Unaware