Safety Tips for Patients

Patient safety is our top priority at the Center.  You, as the patient, should play an active role in your medical care to ensure your safety during your visit with us.

Education

Educate yourself about your diagnosis and planned surgical treatment before the day of surgery.

ASCW Employee and CareMount Medical Group Anesthesia Physician Identification

  • Expect our nursing and administrative staff and our anesthesiologists to wear an employee ID with photo.
  • Expect our clinical staff and our anesthesiologists to introduce themselves and explain their role in your care.

Patient Identification

  • Expect our anesthesiologists, nurses and administrative staff to confirm your identity when greeting you.
  • Do not hesitate to tell a member of our staff if you think you have been confused with another patient.

Correct Side and Site of Your Surgical Procedure

  • Expect your surgeon, anesthesiologist and nurses to confirm your surgical procedure when greeting you.
  • If your surgical procedure is either on the right or left side of your body, expect your surgeon to mark his/her initials on the correct side (right or left) and correct site (location of surgery).
  • If your anesthesiologists will be placing a nerve block before surgery, expect your anesthesiologist to mark his/her initials on the correct side (right or left) and correct site (location of surgery).
  • Some surgeries do not require specific marking (e.g., sinus surgery, uterine surgery, bladder surgery) before surgery.

Informed Consent

Thoroughly read and understand all forms, including the Consent for Procedure and the Consent for Anesthesia, before you sign them.  If you don’t understand, ask our staff or your physician for a more thorough explanation.

Hand Hygiene

Expect your surgeon, anesthesiologist and nurses to have washed their hands immediately before interacting with you.  If you are unsure, please feel free to ask.

Medications

Expect our clinical staff to confirm your identity (i.e., check your wristband or ask your name) before any medication is administered.

Expect our clinical staff to explain the purpose of medication before it is administered to you.  Most commonly, patients receive a sedative and/or an antibiotic before surgery.  Cataract patients will receive multiple sets of eye drops to prepare the eye for surgery.

Do not hesitate to tell the physician or nurse if you think you are about to receive the wrong medication.

Before discharge, make sure you can read the handwriting on any prescription written by your surgeon.

Surgery Site Infections

Please review the document, “Frequently Asked Questions About Surgical Site Infections.pdf” to learn about what you can do to prevent a wound infection after your surgery.

Discharge Instructions

Be sure you and your family member/companion understand the written and oral Discharge Instructions for postoperative care before you leave the Center.  If you don’t understand, ask again.

Encourage your family member/companion to ask questions on your behalf.

Your family member/companion, who will be responsible for your care at home, should understand what to look for if your condition worsens (e.g., bleeding, infection, difficulty breathing) and who to call for assistance (e.g., surgeon’s office, ambulance).

Safety Concerns

Ask to speak to the Administrator or Medical Director if you have any concerns about safety at the Center.