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New movie hopes to save lives of patients in U.S. hospitals A new film called, “Things you should know
before entering the hospital,” hopes to save lives by educating
people how to take a proactive role in their healthcare, in the event
they, or a loved one, have to be hospitalized. As many as 98,000 Americans
die each year due to medical errors in the hospital according to the
Journal of the American Medical Association which is more deaths than
from AIDS, breast cancer or motor vehicle accidents combined. This
film gives viewers a step-by-step guide based on the advice of experts
and experiences of real patients. It contains important information
on how a patient and their advocate can help avoid medical errors.
It addresses questions such as: How do you avoid wrong-site surgery?
Why is hand washing so important? Why do you need an advocate? How
do you avoid medication errors? How do you become an advocate? Plus
much more, including: “How to avoid infection.” Reports
estimate that as many as two million patients contract an infection
from U.S. hospitals or medical centers each year accounting for 90,000
deaths. In the archives of Internal Medicine, researchers estimate
staph infections cause nearly 12,000 deaths each year accounting for
increased hospital bills of $9.5 billion.
“Human error is a fact in healthcare just as in the rest of life, and we all must be educated on what to be watchful of regarding things that might go wrong,” said Martin J. Hatlie, Esq., President of Partnership for Patient Safety. “The film, Things you should know before entering the hospital, is an exceptional safety guide for everyone who is a patient or takes care of one. Watch it and learn what we all need to know to prevent injuries and save lives.” The film should be viewed by the patient as well as their family and friends. It stresses the importance of having someone with you around the clock as your advocate for the entire length of your hospital stay. Available on DVD and video tape for $29.95 at www.patientsafetyvideo.com, Things you should know before entering the hospital gives valuable insight into the potential hazards of the hospitalization experience without instilling fear or blame. The film is direct, to the point and narrated by Emmy-award-winning actor and comedian Ben Hollis. Ben's affable approach engages viewers through his unique sense of compassion and caring humor. Most significantly, it educates and informs. A convenient checklist is included in each DVD/video so that patients can take it with them when they go into the hospital. “This is an important film with a powerful message that all consumers need to hear,” explained Leonard Lamkin, Executive Director, Chicago Patient Safety Forum. The Chicago Patient Safety Forum is a community-based network whose purpose is to facilitate innovative system approaches to understanding and improving patient safety in the Chicago metropolitan area. Dawn V. Gay, a prominent networker and healthcare consultant, is initiating a campaign to have doctors and hospitals share this important message with patients that have entered the hospital and advocates that physicians also give this film to their patients before they enter the hospital. A portion of the proceeds from the sale of each DVD/video from patientsafetyvideo.com is being donated to Consumers Advancing Patient Safety (CAPS), a nonprofit organization established in 2003 as a collective voice for individuals, families and healers who wish to prevent harm in healthcare encounters through partnership and collaboration. CAPS envisions creating a healthcare system that is safe, compassionate and just. Their website, patientsafety.org, is a good source for patient safety information as is www.chicagopatientsafety.org .
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