Quality and Patient Safety | MaineHealth Pen Bay Hospital

Care team members are responsible for accurate patient identification. You will be asked regularly to verify your name and date of birth. This verification is critical to ensuring patient safety.

You can also request identification

During your stay, many people may enter your room, from doctors and nurses to aides.

• Ask for ID of everyone who comes into your room. All hospital employees wear identification badges.
• Speak up if hospital staff doesn’t ask for your identification.
• Ask if the person washed his or her hands before they touch you.
• If you are told you need certain tests or procedures, ask why you need them, when they will happen and how long it will be before you get the results.

We encourage you and your family to be partners and active participants in your health care.

• Speak up if you have any questions or concerns - and if you don’t understand, ask again
• Pay attention to the care you are receiving
• Educate yourself about your diagnosis, medical tests and care plan
• Ask a trusted family member or friend to be with you if you are unable to ask questions for yourself
• Know what medications you take and carry a list with you
• Participate in decisions about your treatment - you are the most important member of your health care team

The MaineHealth Pen Bay Hospital Patient & Family Advisory Council (PFAC) is an organization patients, families and care team members who are working to improve health care in our community. Council members collaborate with care team members and hospital leadership to champion patient safety and patient and family centered care. Learn more. 

All medications that are needed while you are in the hospital are prescribed by your doctor, dispensed by the hospital pharmacy and administered by a nurse. Patients are not permitted to keep personal medications at their bedsides, unless authorized by their physician.

Help your health care team avoid medication errors

• Be sure that all of your doctors know what medications you have been taking, including prescription drugs, over-the-counter medications, herbal and vitamin supplements, natural remedies and recreational drugs.
• Be sure that all of your doctors know about any allergies you may have to any medications, anesthesia, foods, latex products, etc.
• When medications or IV fluids are delivered to your room, ask the care team member to make sure you are the patient who is supposed to receive the medications. Show that person your ID bracelet.