• Speak up if you have questions or concerns. You have a right to question anyone who is involved with your care.
• Make sure that someone, such as your personal doctor, is in charge of your care. This is especially important if you have many health problems or are in a hospital.
• Make sure that all health professionals involved in your care have important health information about you. Do not assume that everyone knows everything they need to know.
• Ask a family member or friend to be there with you and to be your advocate. This should be someone who can help get things done and speak up for you if you are not able to do this for yourself. Even if you think you don't need help now, you might need it later. Make sure the person who will make decisions for you if you are not able to (your advocate) knows what you prefer for your care.
• Know that "more" is not always "better." It is a good idea to find out why a test or treatment is needed and how it can help you. You might be better off without it.
• If you have a test, don't assume that no news is good news. Ask when and how you will get the results of tests or procedures. If you do not get them when expected, don't assume that the results are fine. Call your health professional and ask for the results. Also ask what the results mean in relationship to your treatment.
• Learn about your condition and treatment by asking your health professionals and by using other reliable sources. Ask your health professional if your treatment is based on the latest evidence. Many treatment recommendations based on the latest scientific evidence are available on the Web site of the National Guideline Clearinghouse at http://www.guideline.gov. Other good sources include the library, respected Web sites, and support groups.

Get more information. For more information about medical errors, see the U.S. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) Web site at http://www.ahrq.gov/qual/errorsix.htm. You can also call the AHRQ Clearinghouse toll-free at 1-800-358-9295 for a federal report on medical errors, publication No. OM00-0004.

The following documents from the AHRQ Web site are especially useful:

• 20 Tips to Help Prevent Medical Errors: Patient Fact Sheet
• 20 Tips to Help Prevent Medical Errors in Children

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) also has a helpful article called "Think it Through: A Guide to Managing the Benefits and Risks of Medicines." Call 1-888-878-3256 to get a copy of this article.