UH Encourages and Promotes Patient Feedback

University Hospitals is a firm supporter of the Speak Up™ program, a national patient safety campaign. Speak Up urges patients to help prevent healthcare errors by becoming active, involved and informed participants on their healthcare team. If you or your family has a safety concern, please speak up. We welcome you as a partner on our safety team. The Speak Up™ program and UH staff encourages patients to:

• Speak up if you have questions or concerns. If you still do not understand, ask again. It is your body and you have the right to know.
• Pay attention to the care you get. Always make sure you are getting the right treatments and medicines by the right healthcare professionals. Do not assume anything.
• Educate yourself about your illness. Learn about the medical tests you get and your treatment plan.
• Ask a trusted family member or friend to be your advocate, advisor or supporter. Know what medicines you take and why you take them. Medicine errors are the most common healthcare mistakes.
• Use a hospital, clinic, surgery center or other type of healthcare organization that has been carefully checked out. For example, The Joint Commission visits hospitals to see if they are meeting The Joint Commission’s quality standards.
• Participate in all decisions about your treatment. You are the center of the healthcare team.

We encourage all of our patients to discuss their care and hospital services with nurses and physicians.

If families and visitors notice a change in a patient’s condition or think that something does not seem right with a loved one, please notify a nurse as soon as possible. Our Code White response teams can be mobilized immediately to help. Information about Code White teams is posted on each floor.