ASK ME 3: The Three Questions that Can Help Keep You Safe

Patient Safety Awareness Week: March 7-13, 2010

Asking three simple questions can change the course of your healthcare. Next time you meet with your doctor, nurse, pharmacist or therapist make sure you ask and understand the answers to these questions.

1. What is my main problem?
2. What do I need to do?
3. Why is it important for me to do this?

Ask Me 3 is a patient education program of the National Patient Safety Foundation (NPSF) aimed at promoting better communication between patients and providers. Studies show that people who understand health instructions make fewer mistakes when taking their medicine or preparing for a medical procedure. The informed patient may get well sooner and be better able to manage chronic health conditions.

Each year, PULSE of NY sponsors Patient Safety Awareness Week, a national campaign that educates the public about patient safety and medical errors. The 2010 theme – Let's Talk! Healthy Conversations for Safer Healthcare – focuses on communication. Plain talk between provider, patient and families helps treatment go smoothly and reduces medical errors.

PULSE teaches patients and providers empathic skills that help communicate with compassion. In 2009, NPSF published PULSE’s Critical Communication, a white paper that documents the essential link between plain talk and better outcomes in healthcare. www.pulseofny.org/Communication.html

Patient Safety Awareness Week was launched nationally in March 2002, by Ilene Corina, President of PULSE of New York. PULSE is a grassroots patient safety organization based on Long Island. Corina is a fellow of the American Hospital Association Patient Safety Leadership Training, a board member of The Joint Commission, and a member of the National Patient Safety Foundation.

For more information visit www.pulseofny.org. To learn more about Patient Safety Awareness Week visit www.npsf.org

PULSE of NY is a nonprofit 501 (c) 3 organization dedicated to raising awareness about patient safety and reducing medical errors through advocacy, education, and support. We work to empower the public to make informed decisions, increase effective communication and respect between healthcare providers and the public, and create community partnerships that will foster and ultimately lead to safer healthcare environments. To learn about PULSE of NY go to www.pulseofny.org or visit www.pulseamerica.org to see if there is a PULSE near you.