Little things you can do to reduce medication errors in hospitals

According to Institute of Medicine, an estimated 400,000 medication errors harm hospital patients.

How PassportMD can help to Prevent medication errors and other things you can do to help prevent medication errors:
1. Create and bring a personal health record with you upon admission. PassportMD offers a free service to create your record in minutes.
2. Tell your doctors the medicines, vitamins and supplements that you take to avoid negative interactions. (Or just give him the page from your PassportMD health record that you printed off for free from your computer.)
3. Ask about the drug's purpose and side effects when the doctor prescribes it. Get instructions for taking drugs after you go home.
4. Check the label of IV drug before it is given (or ask a friend or family to do that).
5. Find out how long it should drip before running out.
6. Speak up if you think you are getting the wrong drug, dosage or drip speed.

Many of these tips were generated from the Sun Sentinel Help Team at http://www.sun-sentinel.com/helpteam

Nail Salon Safety

There was a recent article in Sun Sentinel ( http://www.sun-sentinel.com/business/local/sfl-hlpnails21jan21,0,3907127.story ) found dozens of South Florida nail salons have been cited during the past three years for failing to maintain health and saftey standards.

To find out if your local salon has been cited, visit Sun-Sentinel.com/nails.

There have been over 4000 complaints lodged against south Florida nail salons and over 150 citations issued since 2003.

Infections in the nail plate, called paronychia, can be caused by either bacteria or fungus. Fungal infections of the nail plate is called onychomycosis and is very common but also very difficult to treat and can result in destruction of the nail plate. There are topical and oral treatments for onychomycosis and you can ask your dermatologist about this if you have it.

Travel Mom

I just happened upon http://www.thetravelmom.com and believe this is a great reference and resource for family travel, particularly travelling with children. You may contact her with questions and emails.