Patient Safety

Initiatives

Teamwork for Safe Care

You CAN help Dana-Farber safely care for you: Check, Ask, Notify.

Dana-Farber Cancer Institute is a leading cancer center where you can receive high-quality, innovative, and compassionate care. We have many systems in place to enhance your safety or that of your child or family member. But one of the most important things you can do to make your experience even safer is to speak up if something doesn't seem right.

You and your family are important members of your healthcare team, which includes doctors, nurses, social workers, and others. Good communication is the foundation of a successful team. Your experience will be safer if you: Check, Ask, Notify

Check

At every visit to Dana-Farber, check to make sure things look right. For example, is your chemotherapy the same color it was last time? Are your pills the same shape? If you notice anything out of the ordinary, we want to know about it.

Check to make sure you've understood your caregivers by repeating information they have given you.

Dana-Farber welcomes family members and friends. A companion can offer a second set of eyes and ears, helping to check on things for you or your child.

Ask

Everyone on your team, including you, should understand instructions and explanations. Team members should remind one another about important safety issues.

Ask what side effects to expect from your medications, and what to do if you have them.

Ask your healthcare providers if they washed their hands. Dana-Farber has some of the best hand-washing rates in the country, but some staff members may forget once in awhile.

Ask your doctor or nurse to repeat anything you didn't hear or understand.

Ask any other questions you have about your treatment or care.

Notify

Team members are trained to speak up when they see danger or think someone's mistake might cause an accident. They also share information that will help the team perform better.

As a member of your team you CAN:

Notify your caregivers about any problems you've had in between visits.

Notify your nurse if your doctor made any last-minute changes to your treatment. Even though your caregivers work as a team, you can help make sure everyone has the same information.

Notify your caregivers about any side effects you have experienced since your last visit, or anything else that might affect your treatment today.