Avoiding Medical Malpractice
- Keep a medical journal. Write down appointment dates and doctor’s names. Write down prescription names and dosages. Double check your notes with your pharmacist regarding any medication.
- Question. Ask questions. Write questions down as you think of them. Bring your list of questions to your doctor’s visits.
- Bring a friend or family member with you. It can be helpful to have another set of ears to listen and help remember the doctor’s advice.
- Educate yourself. Use the internet to do your own research. Ask friends or family members for doctor recommendations.
- Trust your gut instinct. Often times, if something doesn’t seem right or feel right, it’s not. Do not be afraid to question. Medical professionals are only human too.
- Get a real family history. Ask specific questions to parents or siblings about diseases etc. A thorough history can help your doctor form a proper diagnosis, faster.
- Get a second opinion.
Avoiding Medical Malpractice
- Wear your seatbelt. Keep children in the back seat in properly fitted seats or booster seats. No child under age 12 should ever ride in the front seat of a vehicle with an airbag.
- Use an earpiece with a cell phone or avoid using a cell phone altogether while driving.
- Be alert and anticipate hazards.
- Use the crosswalks as a pedestrian.
- Follow the rules of the road while bicycling and always wear a helmet.
- ICE. Enter your emergency contact in your cell phone under ICE (In Case of Emergency). Emergency personnel are trained to look for it.
- Set your own rules for your teen drivers regarding the number of friends or routes that can be taken.
- Always watch for passengers exiting a bus to cut in front of the bus.
- Report dangerous intersections or conditions to your alderman or call 311, in Chicago or look up non emergency numbers in the phone book.
- Teach your children to avoid strange or unknown dogs, always ask the owners permission before petting animals. WALK away without looking a dog in the eye, if any threat is sensed.
- Report dangerous road conditions or premises conditions
