Patients can partner with their caregivers to prevent health risks and errors

Being hospitalized for acute care presents health risks beyond the medical treatment at hand. Medication errors, patient identification errors, falls and infections are just some of the risks that can be prevented through a closer partnership of patients, their families and medical providers. With patient safety in mind, SAVE THE PATIENT is hosting another community show to raise Chicagoans' awareness of potential medical and medication errors that can occur during a hospital stay, and tools to prevent them.

On Monday, March 22 at 6:00 pm, Chicago Access Network (CAN-TV), Channel 21, will air a live call-in program, "Community Health," focusing on the proactive role individuals can take to prevent medical errors from occurring during hospitalization.

Host Lenore Janecek, president and founder of SAVE THE PATIENT, and Cynthia Barnard, MBA, MSJS, CPHQ, director of Quality Strategies at Northwestern Memorial Hospital in Chicago, will discuss how patients can partner with their caregivers -- before entering the hospital, during their stay and release -- to prevent health risks and errors. Ms. Barnard will highlight some of the tools patients and their advocates can prepare ahead of admission to avoid possible complications.

In addition to tools, the program will provide educational resources, ranging from websites to hospital quality reviews, to assist viewers in becoming more knowledgeable about health care risks. Viewers, who wish to join in discussions, can call-in to pose their questions.