If you have a choice, choose a hospital at which many patients have the procedure or surgery you need. Research shows that patients tend to have better results when they are treated in hospitals that have a great deal of experience with their condition.

If you are in a hospital, consider asking all health care workers who have direct contact with you whether they have cleansed their hands. Using an alcohol-based hand cleanser is an important way to prevent the spread of infections in the hospital, yet this is not done regularly or thoroughly enough. One study found that when patients checked whether their health care workers cleansed their hands, the workers used an alcohol-based hand cleanser more consistently.

Make sure your health professional checks your identity before giving you any medicines or treatment. Checking your identity can be looking at an ID, such as a wristband, or asking your name.

When you are being discharged from the hospital, ask your doctor to explain the treatment plan you will use at home and give you written instructions. This includes learning about your medicines and finding out when you can get back to your regular activities. Research shows that at discharge time, doctors think their patients understand more than they really do about what they should or should not do when they return home.