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Public Employees' Benefit Board

Your Safety
Guard Your Medical Safety
 

Patient safety is one of the nation’s most pressing healthcare challenges. A recent report by the Institute of Medicine estimates that as many as 98,000 people die in U.S. hospitals each year as the result of lapses in patient safety. Here are five steps to safeguard your own care.
1. Speak up if you have questions or concerns.
Choose a doctor with whom you feel comfortable talking about your health and treatment. It’s okay to ask questions and to expect answers you can understand.
 
2. Keep a list of all the medicines you take.
Tell your doctor and pharmacist about the medicines that you take, including over-the-counter medicines and dietary supplements. Tell them about any drug allergies you have. Ask about side effects and what foods and other things to avoid while taking the medicine. Read the medication’s label. Make sure it is what your doctor ordered and you know how to use it. If the medicine looks
different than you expected, ask the pharmacist about it.
 
3. Make sure you get the results of any test or procedure.
Ask your doctor or nurse when and how you will get the results of tests or procedures. If you do not get them when expected—in person, on the phone, or in the mail—don’t assume the results are fine. Call your doctor and ask for them. Ask what the results mean for your care.
 
4. Talk with your doctor and healthcare team about your options if you need hospital care.
If you have more than one hospital to choose from, ask your doctor which one has the best care and results for your condition. Before you leave the hospital, be sure to ask about follow-up care, and be sure you understand the instructions.
 
 
5. Make sure you understand what will happen if you need surgery.
  • Ask your doctor and surgeon:
  • Who will take charge of my care while I’m in the hospital?
  • Exactly what will you be doing?
  • How long will it take?
  • What will happen after the surgery?
  • How can I expect to feel during recovery?
Tell the surgeon, anesthesiologist, and nurses if you have allergies or have ever had a bad reaction to anesthesia. Make sure you, your doctor, and your surgeon all agree on exactly what will be done during the operation.
 
Taken from Five Steps to Safer Health Care. Patient Fact Sheet. January 2001. Quality Interagency Coordination Task Force.
 

Have a Healthy, Safe Vacation
vacation
When you’re planning your vacation, “fun” usually tops the priority list. Make sure that “healthy” and “safe” are on the list as well.

Healthy
"Healthy" and "fun" are not mutually exclusive terms. The Oregon Healthy Worksites Web site offers a great list of tips on ways to easily include healthy eating and physical activity in your vacation.
 
Examples:
  • Incorporate nutritious foods in your trips. Visit an Oregon farm to pick your own fruits and vegetables – let the kids find out where delicious, fresh food comes from. 
  • Make healthy habits part of your vacation. Check the EAP Web site for ideas on how dump the stress before you start your trip and adjust to work when you return. 
  • Fit physical activity into your travels. Join a local hiking club and go on a hiking vacation. 

Safe
As you head to the beach, the pool or the mountains, keep safety in mind. The American Red Cross offers solid safety suggestions.
Water Safety
  • Swim only in supervised areas, and obey all rules and posted signs.
  • Just as you don’t drink and drive, don’t drink and swim – alcohol impairs your judgment, balance, coordination and swimming skills.
  • Pay attention to the weather, and get out of the water at the first hint of a storm.
Boating Safety
  • Be weather wise, and bring a radio to check weather reports.
  • Bring extra gear, such as a flashlight, extra batteries and matches in a waterproof container that floats.
  • Tell someone where you’re going, who is with you and how long you’ll be gone.
  • Check your boat and fuel supply before you leave.
Sun Safety
  • Drink plenty of water and take frequent breaks when playing or working in hot weather.
  • Use sun block with a high SPF, and reapply after swimming or perspiring.
Hiking and Camping Safety
  • If anyone in your family has a medical condition, talk to your doctor about your plans, and make sure you have any needed medications.
  • Consider what emergencies could arise and how you would deal with them.
  • Make sure you have a full first-aid kit and that each person on the trip has a “survival pack” with such items as water, pocket knife, whistle, matches and a candle.
  • Take emergency devices (cell phone, flares, etc.), and know where the nearest phone is.
  • Make sure a friend or neighbor knows your license plate and cell phone numbers, where you’re going and when you plan to return.

Emergency Medical Care When You're on Vacation
 
All PEBB medical plans cover emergency medical care for you and your dependents without prior authorization, whether you’re at home or away on vacation.


In an emergency, go directly to the nearest medical facility, or call 911.
 
If you or your dependent is admitted as an inpatient to a non-network or non-system hospital because of an emergency:
  • Within 24 hours, call your medical plan customer service or member service number to find out if and how the patient will be transitioned. The number is on your plan’s ID card.
  • Call your primary care doctor for advice on how to proceed with the patient’s care.

"Emergency Medical Condition" As Defined by Oregon Law


 “Emergency medical condition” means a medical condition that manifests itself by acute symptoms of sufficient severity, including severe pain, that a prudent layperson possessing an average knowledge of health and medicine would reasonably expect that failure to receive immediate medical attention would place the health of a person, or a fetus in the case of a pregnant woman, in serious jeopardy.
Oregon Revised Statutes, Chapter 743

Summer Safety
Fireworks Safety
  • Don’t assume you know how to handle legal fireworks. Read and follow directions for each type.
  • Never light fireworks inside a can or bottle. Never try to relight misfired fireworks.
  • Soak used fireworks in water before discarding them.
 
Water Safety
  • If you plan to pilot a boat, take boating safety classes.
  • Take lessons in swimming and basic water survival skills.
  • Don’t drink on a boat, while piloting a boat, or before going swimming.
  • Never leave children unobserved around water – even a kiddie pool. A child can drown in less than 12 inches of water. Learn CPR.
  •  If tubing or rafting, always wear a Coast-Guard approved life jacket.
  • Always apply sun block 30 minutes before exposure to the sun. Re-apply after swimming or heavy perspiration.
 
 

Save Your Sight from Fireworks
Eye-care organizations report that about 9,000 firework-related injuries occur in the U.S. every year. Almost 2,000 are eye injuries, which can take a long time to heal and can cause vision loss. The groups urge everyone to leave the fireworks to the professional this July 4th. Many communities in Oregon offer free public displays. Check with local media for locations and schedules.