Joint Commission Resources
Speak Up
We urge patients to take a role in preventing health care errors by becoming
active, involved and informed participants on the health care team. We
strongly encourage the public to:
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 health care 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 health care mistakes.
U
Use a hospital, clinic, surgery center or other type of health care organization
that has undergone a rigorous on-site evaluation against established state-of-the-art
quality and safety standards, such as that provided by The Joint Commission.
P
Participate in all decisions about your treatment. You are the center of
the health care team.
2017 National Patient Safety Goals (NPSGs)
The NPSGs were established to help accredited organizations address specific
areas of concern in regard to patient safety.
2017 NPSGs
How we comply with 2017 NPSGs