Free Patient Safety Resources for Consumers and Clinicians

The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) is one of 12 agencies within the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). AHRQ's mission is to improve the quality, safety, efficiency, effectiveness, and cost-effectiveness of health care for all Americans. They have made the following patient-/practice-related safety resources (one page fact-sheet and brochure formats) available in Spanish and English versions through HRET. Please fill out this form and follow the directions below for its submission.

HRET is offering these resources through an ongoing partnership with AHRQ to promote patient safety tools.

Be Prepared for Medical Appointments: Build Your Question List (Spanish/English)
This brochure includes a checklist of nearly 100 useful questions covering a number of key areas for patients to ask at medical appointments.
www.ahrq.gov/qual/beprepared.htm

Blood Thinner Pills: Your Guide to Using Them Safely (Spanish/English)
This booklet offers basic information about blood thinner medication, including reasons why a clinician might prescribe it,  tips on diet, medicines and foods to avoid, important precautions for some daily activities and when to seek help.
www.ahrq.gov/consumer/btpills.htm

Check Your Medicines: Tips for Using Medicines Safely (English only)
This one-page fact sheet includes five tips to guide patients in using medicines safely. The checklist encourages patients to discuss with their doctor or pharmacist whether or not current prescriptions, vitamins, and supplements will adversely react with new prescriptions.
www.ahrq.gov/consumer/checkmeds.htm 

Five Steps to Safer Health Care (Spanish/English) (PDF)
This one-page patient fact sheet outlines five steps patients can take to get safer healthcare. It focuses on communication between patients and doctors and pharmacists.
www.ahrq.gov/consumer/5steps.htm

Staying Active and Healthy with Blood Thinners (Video Spanish/English) (online PDF)
This10-minute video explains what blood thinners are, how they work and why it's important to take them. It also shows how small changes in daily routines can help people take blood thinners safely. 
www.ahrq.gov/consumer/btpills.htm 

Taking Care of Myself: A Guide for When I Leave the Hospital (PDF)
This guide helps patients care for themselves when they leave the hospital. The easy-to-read guide can be used by both hospital staff and patients during the discharge process and provides a way for patients to track their medication schedules, upcoming medical appointments, and important phone numbers.
www.ahrq.gov/qual/goinghomeguide.htm

Women and Medicines: What You Need to Know (Spanish/English)
This brochure discusses how medicines can work differently in women and men, and includes important tips for safe medicine use.
www.ahrq.gov/consumer/wommed.pdf

Your Guide to Preventing and Treating Blood Clots (Spanish/English) (PDF)
This guide describes ways to prevent and treat blood clots; symptoms; and medication side effects as well as when to go to the emergency room.
www.ahrq.gov/consumer/bloodclots.htm

Your Medicine: Play It Safe (Spanish/English)
This brief guide answers common questions about getting and taking medicines and has many handy forms that will help patients keep track of information. It also includes important questions to ask about medication before taking it.
www.ahrq.gov/consumer/safemeds/safemeds.htm

ORDERING INFORMATION FOR CONSUMER TOOLS:
Ordering consumer tools is as easy as 1, 2, 3!

1. Fill out an order form. Organizations can receive 500 copies free of charge and individual clinicians can receive 200 copies free of charge. For larger orders, e-mail Jenny Shaw at jshaw@aha.org.
2. E-mail or fax the form to Jenny Shaw. E-mail: jshaw@aha.org; Fax: (312) 422-4568.
3. Receive your orders within 2 to 3 weeks.

You can also co-brand AHRQ's consumer tools with your organization's logo. To do so you:

1. Enter into a reprint partnership with the AHRQ.
2. Receive electronic files of the tool from AHRQ.
3. Add your logo and the required language stipulated by the reprint agreement.
4. Print the co-branded material.

For more information about entering into a reprint partnership with AHRQ, e-mail Jennifer Shaw at jshaw@aha.org.