> English > HOW DO I PARTICIPATE IN MY HEALTHCARE WHILE ABROAD?
Tips for Safe Healthcare
While a patient at DGH, your medical and personal safety is our primary concern. Many procedures and
practices, both apparent and not apparent, are designed to protect your well being and to secure the
best medical outcome possible for you.
However, as with any system, these safeguards are not completely error proof.
You can proactively ensure a safer healthcare experience by joining your healthcare team in following the guidelines below. Daniel General Hospital has developed these guidelines to alert patients to common risks inherent to hospitals and other healthcare settings, both here and abroad, as well as to educate patients on how to minimize certain risks.
What you can do:
Know your healthcare professionals
Daniel General Hospital enforces a strict, no-nonsense approach to security. All DGH employees,
doctors, nurses, and other staff must wear a photo identification badge that is prominently displayed
while on duty. If someone approaches you without a badge, ask to see his/her identification.
If a person fails to produce the card like the one shown, immediately notify a nurse or manager. A white
coat or stethoscope is not a substitute for an ID badge.
(include pictures of example ID)
Recognize your medication
Our nurses follow a strict procedure to ensure that the medications the patients receive are, indeed, the
proper ones. Rarely, however, busy staff may pick up incorrect medications. If the medications you
receive do not look familiar, alert your doctor or nurse. Chances are, despite its appearance, the
medication is correct, but it doesn't hurt to double check.
Make sure your caregivers wash their hands if they perform any
"hands on"
procedures
Overwhelming evidence shows that wahing hands is the single most important precaution that anyone
(including your doctor or nurse) can take to effectively prevent the spread of infection. Daniel General
Hospital's policy mandates that every care provider, including doctors, nurses and other staff wash their
hands before and after performing any "hands on" procedures with patients. If you notice a member of
your healthcare team has forgotten to wash his or her hands, remind them – it is for everyone's benefit.
Other important points
Make sure you know who is in charge of your care. This is particularly important when many people
are involved in your treatment, or when you have many health problems.
Please feel free to speak up if you have questions or concerns. You have a right to know about your
care and question any member of your care team. Interpreters are available through our Patient
Relations Department.
If you have a test taken, don't assume that no news is good news.
Always ask your doctor for the result.
