here are a few precautions suggested by the agency of healthcare research and quality (ahrq) that you can take to protect yourself against common medical mistakes. take an active role: talk with your doctor and clearly state how you'd like your care to go and ask specific questions about the care you're receiving why it's necessary and what you should expect. talk medicine: it's critical that your doctors and nurses know all of the medications you're taking including over-the-counter drugs and vitamins and any other supplements. if it makes it easier for you bring all of your medication bottles in a bag to your doctor. mention any allergies you have. in addition ahrq suggests talking with your doctor about the medications being prescribed so that you clearly understand what you're taking how it should be taken and why it's important. here is a list of suggested questions to ask your doctor: what is the medicine for? how am i supposed to take it and for how long? what side effects are likely? what do i do if they occur? is this medicine safe to take with other medicines or dietary supplements i am taking? what food drink or activities should i avoid while taking this medicine? finally make sure you can read any prescriptions your doctor writes for you. if you can't read it there's no reason to think your pharmacist will be able to. spread the word: assume that each new doctor you see doesn't know your full medical history because he or she likely doesn't. and talk with your primary doctor about taking charge of your care and coordinating with other health care providers you see. ask for results: never assume that not hearing results about a recent medical test you've taken means that nothing was found. always call to find out exactly what the outcome was. bring a friend: it's a good idea to have a friend or family member who can advocate for you and help you ask questions.
how can i reduce the risk of a serious medical error in the doctor's office?