What you need to know for yourself, your family or someone you care for:
Tip 1 – Ask questions
You have the right to ask questions about your care.
Tip 2 – Find good quality and reliable health information
Not all information is reliable. Ask your doctor for guidance.
Tip 3 – Understand the risks and benefits of medical tests, treatments and procedures
Find out about your tests and treatments before they happen.
Tip 4 – Keep a list of all the medicines you are taking
Ask your doctor or pharmacist if you need more information about the medicines you are taking.
Tip 5 – Confirm what will happen before your operation or other procedure
Ask to be told who will be doing your procedure and what will happen to you.
Tip 6 – Ask about your care when you leave hospital
Ask for a written outline of your treatment and what should happen after you get home.
Tip 7 – Know your rights and responsibilities
You have a number of rights and responsibilities as a patient.
Tip 8 – Understand privacy and to accessing your medical record
Your medical information is confidential. You can ask to see your medical record.
Tip 9 – Your feedback helps improve healthcare safety and quality
Feedback helps health professionals spot when improvements can be made.
Additional resources
Top Tips for Safe Health Care
- Website: Top Tips for Safe Health Care
-
About:
Top Tips for Safe Health Care is designed to help consumers, their families, carers and other support people get the most out of their health care. You can use information from the Top Tips booklet when you talk to your doctor and other healthcare providers, including nurses, pharmacists, specialists, allied health and mental health workers. The booklet is translated in 15 different languages.
Question Builder - Make the most out of your appointment
- Website: Questions Builder
-
About:
Question Builder is a free online tool by the Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care to help you think about the questions you might like to ask your doctor, and to prepare for questions they may ask you when you go to an appointment.
Last reviewed September 26, 2017.