Every day at Eastern Maine Medical Center, patients entrust to us their most cherished and personal possession: their health. This trust is important to us, as we further our mission of caring for patients, families, communities and one another. Patient safety is our first priority. That is our commitment to you.
EMMC is accredited by JCAHO, the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations. JCAHO is an independent national surveyor that ensures EMMC and other hospitals are providing the best quality care we can to our patients. We pride ourselves on that superior level of quality and service. As your medical center, we are working for you and your family to keep you safe and comfortable. We count on you to help us with that goal. When it comes to healthcare so many factors and details may affect your care. Help us make your care as safe and effective as possible by taking an active role in your own healthcare. To view our online guide for patients and families, click here. To view EMMC quality information please click here.
To read an article on the role of the patient in improving patient safety, please click here.
Here are some ways you can help us ensure your safety as a patient:
ACT! Ask, Choose, Talk: Communicating With Your Caregiver
Communication is the key to quality care. As a patient it is your responsibility, if you have questions or concerns, to talk with your caregiver. Your caregiver is there to help you, and no question is ever a "burden" or a "bother." Discuss your care with your caregiver and ask questions. You need to understand your care in order to help us keep you as comfortable and safe as possible. An easy way to remember what to do when you are meeting with your caregiver is to think of the word "ACT":
A- Ask when you have a question, especially with any new medications or lab results you may have, and never assume your question is unimportant. It is important to us for you to understand why you are at the hospital, what you need to do, and why it is important for you to do it.
C- Choose an advocate, if you feel you are not capable of speaking up yourself. When you choose a person, be sure to give your caregiver contact information for that person, as well as any restrictions on what information you want shared.
T- Talk to your caregiver and identify yourself. Make sure he or she checks your
identification band before giving treatment. Also, take part in your own medical decisions. Talk with your doctor to decide what is best for you.
If you remember to "ACT," and keep communication clear between you and your caregiver, you ensure a partnership that will provide you with the best care.
Instruction for Inpatient Admission and Outpatient Procedure
There are simple steps you can take as a patient to help us provide you with the best care. Go down the check list below of what to do as a patient while being cared for:
- Notify your caregiver of any allergies you may have (food, drug, animal, latex, clothing, etc.)
- Do not assume everyone knows everything they may need to know about you. Please share important health information with your caregiver.
- Make sure healthcare professionals know about any medications or dietary supplements you may be taking when you arrive.
- If you are admitted to the hospital, having an inpatient or outpatient surgical procedure, or if you are a patient in our Emergency Department, you should be wearing an identification bracelet. This bracelet should be on your wrist or ankle at all times (some outpatient departments, such as CancerCare of Maine, do not require patients to wear an ID bracelet if they are undergoing a series of on-going treatments, such as chemotherapy). Caregivers use the bracelet to double check your identity before performing any kind of treatment. If you are unsure your caregiver has checked your identification bracelet, please ask. If your bracelet becomes lost, please ask your caregiver to replace it.
- Be careful of items such as glasses, dentures, and hearing aids. These items are small and may easily be lost. Bring a small container with your name on it to put such items in.
- Do not bring unnecessary personal items, such as valuables and extra clothing.
- If you are an inpatient, make sure your nurse call button is working. Test it out when you first arrive, while there is a nurse present.
- If you have a personal advocate, be sure they know how to contact your healthcare providers.
Minimize Risk of Infection
There are several things you can do to minimize risk of infection. Below are a few tips you should know to keep yourself safe:
- All caregivers must perform hand hygiene before and after contact with you. Alcohol hand rubs are recommended. However, soap and water may also be used. If you are unsure this has happened, it's okay to ask us!
- Vaccinations for flu or pneumonia can help prevent serious illness, especially among high-risk or elderly patients.
- Although family members like to show they care by taking the time to visit, if a family member has a cold or a contagious illness, please ask that person to refrain from visiting. Children under the age of 12 may be a particular risk, as they often have colds.
- If your gown or linens are unclean, please let your nurse know immediately. Our staff is there to help you.
Knowing Your Medication
Knowing when you need to take medication, and why you need to take it, can greatly reduce risk of medication failure. It is a good idea to ask your caregiver or pharmacist as much as possible about your medication. The more information you have, the more confident you can be about avoiding any failures that may occur. Recommended questions are as follows:
- What is the medication?
- What does it do?
- Why and how am I supposed to take it?
- How long should I take it?
- Are there any side effects? What should I do if they occur?
- Is this medication safe to take with supplements or other medication?
- Are there any daily activities that may be affected by this medication? (eating, sleeping, walking, etc.)
You should also become familiar with your medication. Write down and know the name, color, packaging (if any), and size of your medication. Let your caregiver know if a medication looks different from what you are used to taking.
If you are an inpatient, discuss with your caregiver what you should be doing with any other medications you may already be using before you come to the hospital. Do not use any medications you have brought from home unless your caregiver asks you to do so.
Bring a family member with you to ensure you understand the directions given about the medication. Having another person with you to hear about the medication may help you later. Also, be sure to ask questions. Medicine labels can be difficult to understand, and asking your pharmacist or caregiver may help clarify confusion.
Finally, if you wish to stop using any medication, please contact your physician's office immediately to be sure it is safe to do so. Do not assume it is best to wait until your next visit.
Ensuring Equipment Safety and Preventing Personal Injury
Whether you are an inpatient or short-time visitor of EMMC, your physical safety is important to us. You should never feel like a burden if you feel you need to ask for assistance.
If you are staying with us overnight, there are a few things that you can do to ensure you stay safe:
- Keep a call button near you.
- Make sure there is adequate light in your room. If you need prescription eyeglasses to see, keep them near you for easy access.
- Use slippers with rubber soles to prevent slipping.
- Use a container to keep dentures or dental equipment, glasses, hearing aides or other removable pieces. These items are easily lost. Mark the container with your name.
All patients should:
- Report any possible dangers, such as wet floors that may be slippery.
- Ask what to expect from any equipment around you. How should this equipment sound or act? What is the equipment doing? If something seems wrong with the equipment, let your caregiver know.
- Never turn off an alarm. These alarms help alert your caregiver of any problems, and are crucial to your health and wellbeing.
- If you are an outpatient who requires portable oxygen, please bring enough with you to cover your visit. If you feel you may not have enough, please alert your caregiver or an EMMC employee.
- If you are in a wheelchair, make sure your brakes are locked and footrests are out of the way when getting in and out of the chair.
- There may be situations where restraints are necessary to protect patients from injury. To reduce fear or concerns from the elderly or confused patients, family members may be asked to stay with them.
Surgical Guidelines
Here are some pre- and post- operative guidelines to know when you are going into surgery or having a procedure done at EMMC:
- Several days before your operation or procedure, ask about any food or drink restrictions, including when you must start these restrictions and how long.
- Leave valuables at home.
- You may need to have someone handle paperwork, get any post-operation or procedure instructions, or drive you home. Please plan ahead with a family member or a friend to help you out.
- You may wish to bring something to read.
- Remember to bring personal identification, including an ID card and any insurance information.
- Arrive promptly on the day of your procedure/operation.
- Remember to communicate! Feel free to ask any questions before or after your procedure/operation.
- To avoid risk of infection, wash your hands frequently and ask your family members to wash their hands frequently as well.
- Before the operation begins, you will be asked to confirm your name and what operation/procedure you are having. You may also be asked to identify the specific body part on which the procedure/operation is being performed. This is part of standard safety procedure.
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