Our Mission

Posted on November 1, 2010 by Pat Iyer

Have you ever

  • Feared that you or a loved one could be hurt by medical errors?
  • Wanted to know how you could be empowered to keep safe in the healthcare system?
  • Wondered how you could be an advocate for a loved one to avoid medical malpractice?
  • Felt powerless like no one was listening to your concerns about your health care?
  • Wondered how you could be healthier so you would not need as much medical care?

    • The mission of Avoid Medical Errors is to help you to stay healthy and to avoid becoming the victim of a medical error. You will receive critical information and tips to teach you, as a healthcare consumer, how to ask questions, be empowered, and to seek safe health care. You will get both a free magazine written by medical/legal experts and the opportunity for indepth essential help from our paid membership site.

    You will learn from our president’s expertise. Avoid Medical Errors was born from the experience of our president, Patricia Iyer RN MSN LNCC, in her work with medical malpractice attorneys. Over the past 24 years she has seen thousands of people injured by the healthcare system, and she want to share information to help you become a good patient advocate for yourself and your loved ones. Patricia is an authority on the topic of nursing and medical malpractice. She has coauthored or edited more than 25 medical legal texts. As a speaker and author, she has shared her expert knowledge with audiences of nurses, attorneys, paralegals and physicians.

    Posted in Medical errors | 1 Comment

    Pregnancy and Diabetes

    Posted on February 20, 2012 by Pat Iyer

    pregnant diabetic, pregnancy and diabetes, gestational diabetes, gestational diabeticWhen I was in graduate school, I completed a paper describing an educational plan to teach pregnant diabetics. My University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing professor encouraged me to submit an abstract to the American Diabetes Association. I was so naïve that I did not realize what I was volunteering to do. I did not realize that if the abstract was accepted, I would be expected to write a paper to go with the abstract and to stand up in front of a group of diabetic educators and healthcare professionals and deliver this talk.

    One of my wise professors advised me early in my graduate program to pick a clinical area or topic and to continue to build on it. So I developed educational materials for diabetics, worked in a diabetologist’s clinical practice seeing diabetics for care, and created this teaching plan for pregnant diabetics. One of the most amazing things I saw at the diabetologist’s office was the prototype of the insulin pump. This machine was the size of a washing machine. It is now the size of a syringe.

    Pregnancy and diabetes
    Pregnant diabetics are at risk for problems. Women with insulin-dependent diabetes have to avoid both high and low blood sugar during pregnancy. Women who are pre-diabetic (early stage before diabetes develops) or take oral medication to control blood sugar may develop resistance to insulin and need to take additional insulin to control blood sugar. The pregnant diabetic increases her chances of having a healthy baby without congenital defects by strictly controlling blood sugar before getting pregnant and during the first three months of pregnancy when critical organ development occurs. Pregnant diabetics are also at increased risk of having a spontaneous abortion because of poorly controlled blood sugar. They are at risk for having large babies with associated delivery risks.

    One of the aspects of pregnancy and diabetes that I focused on was gestational diabetics. These are women whose bodies cannot tolerate the changing needs for insulin. There are certain known risk factors for developing gestational diabetes, including obesity, family history of diabetes, sugar in the urine and a prior history of gestational diabetes in a previous pregnancy. After delivery, the vast majority of gestational diabetics return to normal blood sugar levels, but 35 to 75% of these women will again have gestational diabetes during their next pregnancy. Half of them will develop type 2 (oral medication needed) diabetes. My educational plan focused on helping women in this category control her risk factors so they could lessen the risk of developing diabetes.

    Funding to present talk at American Diabetes Association Conference
    My proposal to teach was accepted. There was one significant problem: I could not afford to go to the conference. Although I did not have to pay registration, I had a flight and hotel bill to think about. My husband had been unemployed for the entire time I was in graduate school. For 1.5 years, we never used a deposit slip, only a withdrawal slip. I accepted a job to head a nursing staff development program of a local hospital immediately after I finished from graduate school, and had not been at the job more than 2 weeks when I got news that the abstract was accepted. My employer said she would give me the time off but would not pay any of the expenses.

    Encouraged by one of my professors, I went to see Claire Fagin, the dean of the University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing. I asked this imposing woman for money. I told her I would call alumni in the Los Angeles area as well as guidance counselors at local high schools and would market the benefits of Penn’s School of Nursing. Much to my delight, she agreed and the amount she provided paid for my flight and hotel bill. The presentation to the American Diabetes Association led to a request to publish the paper in their journal. This led to a request to write a column for a publication for diabetics. This was one of the early steps of my writing career, which includes over 125 articles, chapters, books, case studies and online courses.

    What you can do
    1. If you are diabetic and become pregnant, you will need skilled care to manage your health during your pregnancy.
    2. You will need the help of a nutritionist to develop meal plans that work for you.
    3. You will need careful monitoring of blood sugar levels during pregnancy.
    4. If you are diabetic and thinking of becoming pregnant, start off in the best possible blood sugar and weight control.

    Posted in Nutrition, Obstetrics | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

    Eating for Three: Nutrition during a Multiple Pregnancy

    Posted on February 16, 2012 by Pat Iyer

    My husband’s sister’s grandson’s wife is pregnant with twins and due to deliver any moment. She is at 38 weeks of her pregnancy. I can’t help but to compare her pregnancy with that of my mother’s when she was pregnant with twins. Priti has known since the early months of her pregnancy that she is pregnant with twins. She has been carefully monitored by high risk perinatologists who specialize in the care of high risk pregnancies. Priti has been on bed rest since she was 4 months pregnant. Her mother-in-law came from India to the U.S. to care for her and to make all meals, and to keep her company while her husband worked. After three months, her mother-in-law returned to India the day after Priti’s mother arrived. Aruna has been here taking care of her daughter and making meals and will likely stay for another 6 months after delivery.

    twin pregnancy and nutrition, eating in twin pregnancy, multiple pregnancy and nutrition

    Priti


    My mother had two children under the age of 7 when she became pregnant with twins. Her pregnancy occurred well before ultrasounds. No one realized she was carrying twins. No one stayed with her to help. When her weight increased beyond the expected amount, her physician put her on a 1,000 calorie diet. My brother Glenn was born first, followed 6 minutes later by his fraternal twin, Doug. Everyone was quite surprised. Such surprises are rare these days.

    We now know that there is a link between optimal nutrition during pregnancy and the health of the fetuses. Multiple fetuses place a demand on the mother’s nutritional condition. The larger placenta makes more placental hormones and produces more steroids. This causes the mother to use more carbohydrates and deplete more of the body’s nutritional supplies. Women who are underweight before they become pregnant with twins should consume as many as 4,000 calories a day, whereas obese women pregnant with twins need 2,700 to 3,000 calories. My mother’s 1,000 calorie a day diet put a severe strain on her system and put my brothers at risk for decreased fetal growth and her for premature labor.

    My brothers were born healthy. I pray Priti’s sons are also born healthy.

    Update: Priti delivered two healthy boys weighing 6 pounds 4ounces and 6 pounds 10 ounces.

    What you can do
    1. If you know someone who is pregnant, encourage her to seek early prenatal care. Waiting until the middle or end of the pregnancy may lose precious time needed to address the mother and fetus’s health.
    2. If you know someone who is pregnant with twins, encourage her to seek care from a high risk obstetrical center. The needs of the fetuses and mother are great and warrant specialized care.

    Posted in Healthy behavior, Nutrition, Obstetrics | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

    Infection in Hospital After Carotid Stent videotip

    Posted on February 13, 2012 by Pat Iyer

    Posted in Infection, Videotip | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

    Be a proactive patient advocate for yourself

    Posted on February 9, 2012 by Pat Iyer

    informed patient, patient advocate, informed healthcare consumer

    Be an Advocate
    We are all ultimately responsible for our own well-being. This is particularly true when it pertains to managing health care concerns. The best way to get the most from one’s medical care is by being an informed patient advocate. Educate yourself on any illnesses or conditions you are being treated for. You need not aspire to a medical degree, but a basic understanding will make it easier for you and your health practitioner to build a diagnostically sound plan of care. The healthcare provider and the patient should work together as a team. Good team work requires good, clear communication, which is the single most important factor in improving quality of care. The informed patient advocate plays an important role in ensuring any medical errors are avoided by being proactive in her own case. Studies show an active approach on behalf of the informed patient always yields better results than those with more passive involvement.

    Make a List

    Writing down any questions or concerns you have before your appointment is highly recommended. Many people freeze up while wearing that paper gown. A list is essential to make sure all the issues that need addressing come to the doctor’s attention. Voice any and all concerns, however trivial they may seem. No question or suggestion being pondered for discussion with the physician should be dismissed as unimportant. Report to your provider any and all symptoms you are experiencing. Write down any information the provider gives you during your visit. Since many people are apprehensive when undergoing a physical exam, it’s a recommended option to bring along a family member or friend who can act as your advocate and take notes.

    Pack Those Meds

    Informed patients should make it a habit to bring all medications to every doctor visit, including any over the counter drugs. This is especially vital if the client is seeing more than one practitioner. Taking contraindicated drug combinations can have devastating results. If you have any medication allergies make sure the doctor is aware of them. Establish what condition or illness each drug you take is prescribed for. Discuss proper dosages, timing and frequency, and any possible side effects. If there is any confusion or question, have your doctor explain until you feel satisfied. Practice vigilance at the pharmacy counter as well. The Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Allied Health Science reports that 88% of medication errors involve the wrong drug or the incorrect dosage. When you pick up a new medication, always immediately check the prescription on the bottle against what the doctor ordered.

    Be the Boss

    The healthcare system is a consumer driven industry. The professional with the white coat and medical degree can weigh the importance and relevance of physical symptoms and devise a plan of care, but in the end the final decision on any treatment plan lies with the informed patient advocate. In association with his physician, an informed patient committed to taking control over his health management can have a very positive and long reaching impact on his continuing care. Ask questions, get answers, devise a plan, live healthy.

    Henry Thompson of DegreeJungle.com contributed this guest post.
    Resources:
    http://www.everydayhealth.com/family-health/understanding/help-prevent-medical-errors.aspx
    http://www.ahrq.gov/consumer/20tips.htm

    http://www.howardluksmd.com/orthopedic-social-media/your-role-in-avoiding-medical-errors/

    Posted in Patient responsibility, Patient safety | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

    Are you negative?

    Posted on February 6, 2012 by Pat Iyer

    negative people, negativity, positive peopleThis is a story contributed by a legal nurse consultant, Carrie Woger.

    My dad and I went out on his little fishing boat to the middle of the lake. I was about 12 years old. I noticed that he brought along a bag of M&M’s (my favorite), and a canning jar with a lid. We set up our fishing gear and sat waiting for the first bite of the day. My dad pulled the M&M’s from his pocket. I was excited, because I knew he would share them with me. Suddenly he handed me the empty canning jar. I had no idea what I was suppose to do with it. And then it started…

    Dad: “Have you ever had a good day?”
    Me: “Sure. I have.”
    Dad: “Did you have one recently?”
    Me: “Yes.”
    Dad: “Well then, put one of these M&M’s in the jar.”
    I unscrewed the ring, took off the lid, placed one M&M in the jar and replaced the lid.
    Dad: “Have you ever had a bad day?”
    Me: “Of course.”
    Dad: “Well then, throw an M&M in the lake.”
    Me: “What?.. But, I love M&M’s.”
    Dad: “I know, just throw it in the lake.”
    So, reluctantly, I threw it in the lake. Didn’t make much sense to me, but I did it anyway.
    Dad: ” Have you ever said anything nasty to one of your friends?”
    Me: “Yes.”
    Dad: “Throw another M&M in the lake.”
    Me: “This is ridiculous, why are we doing this?”
    Dad: “Just throw one in the lake.”
    This went on and on for quite a while. I started to complain because each time I got to put an M&M in the jar, I had to unscrew the ring, remove the cap, place the M&M and redo the cap & ring.
    Me: “I think I’ll just leave the cap and ring off…it will be easier.”
    Dad: “Nope, just do it the way we have been doing it.”

    After some time, I realized I only had about 10 M&M’s in my jar, and the rest went into the lake. I didn’t hesitate when I voiced my disgust at “wasting” all those precious M&M’s.
    Dad: “Well, you realize that all your negativity went into the lake. You have lost your opportunity to enjoy those M&M’s; you will never get them back! On the other hand, all the positive things you said and done allowed the M&M’s to go into the jar to be enjoyed at a later time. I noticed your frustration in having to unscrew the ring and remove the cap each time, just shows that a little effort is involved to do something positive. Now, make up your mind what kind of life you want to lead. Make a little effort and your jar could be filled with M&M’s.”

    Believe it or not, I still have that canning jar on my desk! They are not always full of M&M’s, but the memory and life lesson will always be with me. My dad was a really smart man.

    Carrie Woger MLN Consulting, LLC

    Pat Iyer’s comment: Keep this story in mind when you are tempted to complain. Keep this story in mind when you are exposed to negativity. Do you put positive thoughts in your mind? Or are you bombarded with negativity in the form of headlines about distressing events, trends, and facts? Are you feeding yourself positive thoughts? Do you “relax” with the news, or do you come away with a whole new set of things to worry about? Spend time each day developing your mind, learning something new, or relaxing with a positive book. Just as “you are what you eat”, you are what you think and the influences you expose yourself to.

    Expose yourself to positive information that will help you stay healthy. Subscribe to Avoid Medical Errors Magazine. See the sign up form on this site. Get your first issue today. It is free.

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    Posted in Children, Tell my story | Tagged , , | 1 Comment