Patient safety in orthopedic care and surgery is vital to the overall success of each case, however, it isn’t the sole responsibility of the physician or surgeon. It is the duty of every healthcare professional involved with a patient’s treatment, including the patient themselves, to make safety a priority. There are several things that typically contribute to the effectiveness of a patient’s medical care and their satisfaction, but three key factors include communication, preparation and surgical positioners.
Communication
It’s important for a patient to feel comfortable enough with their medical team to communicate clearly and openlyabout their symptoms, the diagnosis and any subsequent treatments and procedures. The more knowledgeable a patient becomes regarding their own health care, the easier it will be to participate in making informed decisions that are best-suited to their recovery.
A patient should always provide their healthcare staff with complete details, no matter how insignificant something may seem, and ask questions whenever there is confusion. Efficient communication also hinges on the openness and honesty of all medical professionals associated with a particular patient.
Preparation
Once plans for surgery are put into place, a patient should take the necessary steps to properly preparefor a meeting with their orthopedic surgeon. Writing down questions and concerns will help to ensure that a patient doesn’t forget to go over any important matters such as medical history, medications prescribed, previous surgeries and allergies. All of these things have a direct impact on a surgeon’s recommendations for treatment.
To make certain that a healthcare plan is on the right track to achieving the best results possible, it is also a good idea for a patient to fully understand their treatment options, details of the surgical procedure, the equipment that will be used and aftercare requirements.
Surgical Positioners
Proper patient positioning is an essential aspect of any operation as it directly relates to the comfort of a patient and allows surgeons to have greater visibility and accessibility to a surgical site. The invention of surgical positioners and their increasing popularity in operating rooms have positively affected the outcome of numerous orthopedic procedures.
These devices assist those on the surgical team that are responsible for arranging a patient by angling them in the correct position and securely holding them in place. This has significantly decreased the risk of patient injury, making them fundamental in maintaining safety. Before surgical positioners became available, there was a much higher chance of a patient sustaining surgery-induced injuries due to poor positioning.
With the appropriate communication, preparation, equipment and safety measures in place, medical errors can easily be prevented and patients can be kept protected from harm. Fortunately, a variety of surgical positioners have been introduced to medical facilities and surgeons to support all kinds of orthopedic surgeries, making them an easy and straightforward way to invest in patient safety.
Optimizing the use of technological resources such as these, along with keeping a direct line of communication open between patients and their healthcare professionals, will help to accomplish the best outcome for all involved.
By Tiffany Olson
Tiffany Olson resides in California and thoroughly enjoys writing and sharing about health and wellness related topics. She became interested in health topics when she went through a serious illness that resulted in several surgery’s and a long recovery time. When she’s not writing you will usually find her cooking, doing yoga, or reading.