Stay safe: Avoid medical mistakes

More people die of medical mistakes and errors each year than from highway accidents, breast cancer or AIDS.

Medical mistakes happen in the hospital. People get the wrong drug or the wrong dose of a drug. People go into the hospital infection-free but catch something while in the hospital. Then there are the bedsores, falls, blood clots and more.

Mistakes also happen at home. Some people don't understand how to take their medicines correctly. And drug interactions are a problem.

Tools you can use
Take charge of your personal safety to prevent medical errors.

If you have an Aetna health plan, we have tools that can help.

Drug safety
Learn how to avoid prescription drug errors. Read about your medications. And find out if you are at risk for harmful drug interactions.

Hospital safety

Compare hospitals based on:

• Procedure
• Condition
• Diagnosis

This easy tool creates a report on hospitals in your area.

And we work behind the scenes
We have a program that reviews your medical information. It looks at claims and conditions. Even prescriptions. We can then alert your doctor to possible ways to improve your care or avoid possible areas of danger.

Other helpful sites
Check out these patient safety sites:

20 Tips to Help Prevent Medical Errors
Great tips for how you can stay safe. 

Safe Patient Project
Read about medical errors or submit your own story.

National Patient Safety Foundation
Find helpful materials to print before a doctor appointment or hospital stay

Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations
See the patient safety tips in their SpeakUp video series.

Commission on Cancer 
Learn about approved cancer programs.

Leapfrog Group
Find information on health care quality to help you compare hospitals.

Safe Care Campaign
Learn how to participate in your care.

Safe Surgery Initiative
Learn how you can help prevent surgical infections.