Tootsie's Story Summary

Last week, I described an article by Robert Wood Johnson Foundation website titled Tootsie’s Story: Medical Error Takes a Life (http://www.rwjf.org/en/culture-of-health/2013/02/tootsie_s_story_med.html). This article described an elderly woman, Tootsie, who was living with two chronic health conditions: congestive heart failure, in addition, patient only have one functioning kidney. These two conditions in addition to other growing ailments made her immobile. Tootsie was essentially placed on Synthroid, a medication for hypothyroidism only, and not suitable for patient with regular thyroid. Somewhere between her doctor’s medication order and what was placed in the prescription bottle, it was discovered that Tootsie has been ingesting a significantly higher dosage of Synthroid than prescribed. Six cardioversions, a stay in the intensive care unit, and multiple consultations and tests later, Tootsie was exhausted. Her heart had been overtaxed for two weeks, sending her into irreversible congestive heart failure and resultant fluid imbalance, kidney failure, pneumonia and anemia. http://www.rwjf.org/en/culture-of-health/2013/02/tootsie_s_story_med.html). In the final five months of her life, Tootsie went home for a total of
At the same token, it is strongly encouraged that patients communicate with their healthcare professional/providers. It is imperative that patients speak up when it comes to their care. The “Speak Up’ program is sponsored by The Joint Commission. They agree that patients should be involved in their own health care. These efforts and many others are critical to reduce, perhaps, prevent medical error from