Don’t go to the hospital alone, if you can possibly avoid it. A friend of mine slipped on the sidewalk recently and broke her hip. She had surgery in one of the best hospitals in the country.

But it was my friend’s grown daughter who noticed that she was having an adverse reaction a pain medication. And that the hot compresses to reduce the swelling in her arm had left blisters on her skin. And that the blood-sugar test she was about to be given was meant for her roommate instead. Having someone with you in a hospital that is alert and asking questions can help stave off all kinds of potential problems, from kinds of potential problems, from mistaken identify to medication mix-ups to MRSA infections. An estimated 100,000 hospital patients die every year in the U.S. because of preventable errors. Many hospitals are under pressures to keep nursing staffs lean. A personal advocate can be a valuable resource. It doesn’t have to be a relative – and it can be more than one person-as long as they can lobby on your behalf. “If we could make only one change in health care, it should be to change the notion that families are visitors. Families are allies and partners for safety and quality,” says Beverly Johnson, president of the nonprofit Institute for Family Centered Care, which is leading a push to involve families more.

A growing number of hospitals are doing just that – with unlimited visiting hours, letting family members accompany patients to procedures and even stay during emergencies. “We’re drawing on the strength of the family. They’re not out in the waiting room, wondering what’s going on,: says Pat Sodomka, senior vice president for Patient and Family-Centered Care at MCG Health, Inc. Which runs a 630-bed hospital in Augusta, GA.

Some hospitals have nurses give change-of –shift reports at the bedside and encourage families to share observations. “This is a huge cultural change,” says Mary Chatman, Chief Nursing Officer of Pitt County Memorial Hospital in Greenville, N.C., which is giving family and patient advisory groups a voice in designing new facilities and interviewing physicians. Initially some staffers worried that family input would take up valuable time, but it saves time in the long run because doctors have more information, says Ms. Chatman. After MCG Health’s neuroscience unit became more family centered, average length of stay dropped 50% because discharge planning went faster. Patient satisfaction rose, and nursing turnover dropped. Still, it can be difficult for family members to know when to raise an alarm and how.

Karen Aydt Curtiss, a market researcher in Lake Forest, Ill. Often felt helpless while her 71-year old father was recovering from a lung transplant in a big teaching hospital in 2005. He was faring well until he fell, hit his head and was made to lie flat until a neurologist could evaluate him. While he waited-all weekend- his new lungs filled up with fluid. He developed pneumonia, then a pulmonary embolism and had three MRSA infections. He died seven months after the transplant, having never left the hospital.

“I wish I had grabbed the neurologist by the sleeve and dragged him to my father’s room,” says Ms. Curtiss, who is writing a book on how to help a loved one in the hospital, titled “Someone With You.: Among her suggestions:

Ask everyone who enters the room if they’ve washed their hands and sterilized Equipment. Use antibacterial wipes on surfaces.
Ask nurses to read drug orders aloud and make sure they match the patient’s ID Bracelet. If it’s a new medication, ask what it’s for and what to expect.
Be alert for pressure wounds, also known as bedsores, particularly in long Hospital stays. A piece of sheepskin (available at medical supply stores) can provide padding and cut moisture. Make sure patients are moved often, and lifted, not slid, which can damage skin.
Bring a deck of cards and other games to help patients work their minds and Motor skills.
Keep a journal for observations – especially if you’re sharing the watch with others.
Never give patient medications on your own.
Don’t help a patient get in or out of bed by yourself.
Be appreciative and remember that other patients may have more urgent needs.

But don’t hesitate to speak up if you have concerns. Says Ms. Sodomka: “You have knowledge that the caregivers just don’t have.”

Source: Wall St. Journal