When people are facing the need to get surgery in Indiana, they are often met with anxiety about the operation itself as well as what recovery will be like. Preparing for their surgery the right way can help to reduce these concerns and give patients more confidence in the process. However, it is critical that they communicate with their surgeon to verify information and confirm that they fully understand the surgery’s purpose and proposed outcome. Doing so can help to prevent a surgical error from happening that may ultimately leave them with worsened health.
While it is never pleasant to consider the chance that a surgeon makes a critical error during surgery, it does happen. In fact, according to the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, there are cases of surgeons performing on the wrong patient, completing surgery on an incorrect body part and even performing a separate procedure from what was previously discussed with the patient.
The medical team implements protocols designed to protect the health and well-being of patients in an effort to eliminate these costly errors. However, patients can also play a critical role by asking the right questions in the time leading up to their surgery. According to CNN, patients should gauge the hospital’s confidence in performing their required surgery by asking about the number of procedures the hospital has previously performed of that type. Additionally, they should confirm the site of their surgery with their surgeon and find out what measures will be taken to identify that area before any surgery is begun.
Patients should ask if there are any alternatives to surgery and understand their options for anesthesia as well. They should also discuss preparation with their surgeon to get assistance in preparing mentally and physically to allow their surgery to be as productive as possible.