The Joint Commission's New Speak Up(TM) Video Highlights Patient Rights

OAKBROOK TERRACE, IL--(Marketwire - Jun 26, 2012) - The Joint Commission is proud to announce the release of its seventh episode in the animated Speak Up™ video series, "Speak Up: Know Your Rights." The new video features the characters Mira, Dr. Pierce, Nurse Amy and Armando as they depict the rights every patient should expect from their care givers. "Speak Up: Know Your Rights" stresses that everyone has the right to:

• Be informed about the care they will receive;
• Make decisions about their care, including refusing care;
• Have their pain treated;
• Receive information about their care in their own language;
• Be provided with an up-to-date list of their current medications; and
• Be listened to and treated with courtesy and respect.

Produced by The Joint Commission, Speak Up's entertaining 60-second videos are intended as public service announcements. The series airs on The Joint Commission's YouTube Channel, as well as other venues, and has received nearly 54,000 views on YouTube alone. This latest Speak Up video provides viewers with tips to help them better understand their rights as a patient. Previous videos in the series, the first of which debuted in March 2011, emphasize the importance of being comfortable speaking up and asking questions about your health care; preventing infection; managing and taking medication safely; preparing for, and what to ask during, doctor's office appointments; encouraging children to feel confident asking questions about their health; and reducing the risk of falling.

The Joint Commission's award winning Speak Up program also features brochures and posters on a variety of patient safety topics. The national program urges patients to take a role in preventing health care errors by becoming active, involved and informed participants on the health care team. The basic framework of the Speak Up campaign encourages patients to:

Speak up if you have questions or concerns. If you still don't understand, ask again. It's your body and you have a right to know.
Pay attention to the care you get. Always make sure you're getting the right treatments and medicines by the right health care professionals. Don't assume anything.
Educate yourself about your illness. Learn about the medical tests you get, and your treatment plan.
Ask a trusted family member or friend to be your advocate (advisor or supporter).
Know what medicines you take and why you take them. Medicine errors are the most common health care mistakes.
Use a hospital, clinic, surgery center, or other type of health care organization that has been carefully checked out. For example, The Joint Commission visits hospitals to see if they are meeting The Joint Commission's quality standards.
Participate in all decisions about your treatment. You are the center of the health care team.

Since its launch in 2002, the Speak Up program has grown to include 19 campaign brochures and five posters, as well as Spanish language versions of all brochures. Free downloadable files of all Speak Up videos, brochures and posters (including Spanish language versions of the brochures) are available on The Joint Commission website at: http://www.jointcommission.org/speakup.aspx. Speak Up brochures and posters also are available for purchase through Joint Commission Resources at (877) 223-6866 or online at www.jcrinc.com.

Founded in 1951, The Joint Commission seeks to continuously improve health care for the public, in collaboration with other stakeholders, by evaluating health care organizations and inspiring them to excel in providing safe and effective care of the highest quality and value. The Joint Commission evaluates and accredits more than 19,000 health care organizations and programs in the United States, including more than 10,300 hospitals and home care organizations, and more than 6,500 other health care organizations that provide long term care, behavioral health care, laboratory and ambulatory care services. The Joint Commission currently certifies more than 2,000 disease-specific care programs, focused on the care of patients with chronic illnesses such as stroke, joint replacement, stroke rehabilitation, heart failure and many others. The Joint Commission also provides health care staffing services certification for more than 750 staffing offices. An independent, not-for-profit organization, The Joint Commission is the nation's oldest and largest standards-setting and accrediting body in health care. Learn more about The Joint Commission at www.jointcommission.org.

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