‘Speak Up’ to help Thomas Jefferson University Hospital keep you safe. All members of the healthcare team have a role in making healthcare safe – and that includes you as well. Whenever you are a patient in any hospital or other healthcare setting, you can help make your care safer by following these important patient safety recommendations from the JCAHO, a healthcare standards-setting and accrediting body.

S: Speak up if you have questions or concerns, and if you don’t understand, ask again. It’s your body and you have a right to know.

P: Pay attention to the care you are receiving. Make sure you’re getting the right treatments and medications by the right healthcare professionals. Don’t assume anything.

E: Educate yourself about your diagnosis, the medical tests you are undergoing, and your treatment plan.

A: Ask a trusted family member or friend to be your advocate.

K: Know what medications you take and why you take them. Medication errors are the most common healthcare mistakes.

U: Use a hospital, clinic, surgery center, or other type of healthcare organization that has undergone a rigorous on0site evaluation against established state-of-the-art quality and safety standards, such as that provided by JCAHO.

P: Participate in all decisions about your treatment. You are the center of the healthcare team.
‘Speak Up’ safety information is provided by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO).