Patient Safety

Highline Medical Center endorses the SPEAK UP program from The Joint Commission, an organization that evaluates the quality and safety of care at hospitals nationwide.

Speak up if you have questions or concerns, and if you don't understand, ask again. It's your body and you have a right to know.

Your health is too important to worry about being embarrassed if you don't understand something that your doctor, nurse or other healthcare professional tells you.
Don't be afraid to ask about safety. If you're having surgery, for example, ask the doctor to mark the area that is to be operated upon, so that there's no confusion in the operating room.
Don't be afraid to tell the nurse or the doctor if you think you are about to receive the wrong medication.

Pay attention to the care you are receiving. Make sure you're getting the right treatments and medications by the right healthcare professionals. Don't assume anything.

Tell your nurse or doctor if something doesn't seem quite right.
Notice whether your caregivers have washed their hands. Healthcare staff also can use a special hand-cleaning product that is more effective than "soap and water" hand washing.
Make sure your nurse or doctor confirms your identity, that is, checks your wristband or asks your name, before he or she administers any medication or treatment. Educate yourself about your diagnosis, the medical tests you are undergoing and your treatment plan.
Ask your doctor about the specialized training and experience that qualifies him or her to treat your illness (and be sure to ask the same questions of those physicians to whom he or she refers you).
Gather information about your condition. Please use the Planetree Library for information. Ask for more information about this great resource.

Ask a trusted family member or friend to be your advocate.

Your advocate can ask questions that you may not think of while you are under stress. We encourage patients to have a Care Partner advocate. Ask the staff about this program.

Know what medications you take and why you take them. Medication errors are the most common healthcare mistakes.

Ask about the purpose of the medication and ask for written information about it, including its brand and generic names. Also inquire about the side effects of the medication.
If you do not recognize a medication, verify that it is for you. Ask about oral medications before swallowing, and read the contents of bags of intravenous (IV) fluids. If you're not well enough to do this, ask your advocate to do this.
If you are given an IV, ask the nurse how long it should take for the liquid to "run out." Tell the nurse if it doesn't seem to be dripping properly (too fast or too slow).
Whenever you are going to receive a new medication, tell your doctors and nurses about allergies you have or negative reactions you have had to medications in the past.

Use a hospital, clinic, surgery center or other type of healthcare organization that has undergone a rigorous on-site evaluation against established, state-of-the-art quality and safety standards, such as that provided by The Joint Commission.

Highline Medical Center is accredited by The Joint Commission and is licensed by the state of Washington.

Participate in all decisions about your treatment. You are the center of the healthcare team.

You and your doctor should agree on exactly what will be done.