Patient safety is about taking action to prevent harm to patients from healthcare services. Healthcare providers do their best to provide safe care. You also have a role, and one of the best ways you can help is to be involved. This article describes the importance of choosing an advocate to help you play an active role in your healthcare.
So how can you play an active role in your own healthcare?
The truth is, it's not easy for everyone to speak up, share their thoughts and be actively involved in their healthcare. A patient advocate can help you with this.
A patient advocate is someone you trust to help you with your healthcare. This healthcare may occur in many places, such as your doctor’s office, the lab, your pharmacy, in your home and in the hospital.
It’s important to name a patient advocate before you need one. You can identify your patient advocate, and outline ways you’d like them to help, by filling out the MIPS form My Patient Advocate Agreement.
There are many good reasons to have a patient advocate. You may be in pain or feel too tired, weak, or ill to communicate with your healthcare team. Perhaps you feel uncomfortable or have a difficult time speaking up for yourself. Or maybe you find some healthcare information confusing or hard to understand. In these cases and many others, a patient advocate can help be your voice and an extra set of eyes and ears.
So, what can a patient advocate do for you?
Your patient advocate can arrange and attend medical appointments, tests and treatments with you. They can ask questions about your healthcare and test results, as well as track your medications. They can even access your personal health information, if you allow them. There are many ways your patient advocate can help you, and it’s your decision what they can and can’t do.
Your patient advocate could be a family member or close friend. You may also choose to have more than one advocate. They should be someone you trust and can talk with openly and honestly. Someone who you know will maintain your information in confidence, advocate for you and your wishes, and has the time and energy to support you. If you do choose someone who is not a family member, tell your family about your patient advocate and their role.
To obtain a copy of My Patient Advocate Agreement and to get more information and view videos on patient safety, go to www.safetoask.ca. There is also a poster for display in organizations.
For information about your patient rights and other patient safety topics, please visit safetoask.ca and browse through the S.A.F.E. Toolkit. You may also call 204-927-6477 or 1-866-927-6477.
Learn to be safe!
This article was originally part part of a series published in the Senior Scope in 2018, with articles on patient safety based on the S.A.F.E. Toolkit. The series was written by Laurie Thompson, who is executive director of the Manitoba Institute for Patient Safety.
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