Quality and safety

According to statistics, 1 in 3 people over the age of 65 falls on average, and this increases to 1 in 2 people over the age of 80. However, falling is not solely related to age. Both during consultations and hospital admissions, there are points of attention to help avoid falls. The following tips can assist you.

Make a list of all the medicines you take. If possible, bring them to the hospital in their original packaging. It is important for your doctor to be aware of the medicines you are already taking in order to avoid dangerous reactions. During your admission, all necessary medication will be provided for you.

Who are you? What's your date of birth? No, we’re not suffering from memory loss. Our healthcare providers systematically ask for your name and date of birth. This is how we ensure at every critical step that you receive the care intended for you. Learn more about bedside scanning, time-outs, and proper identification.

Good hand hygiene is essential to prevent the spread of bacteria and reduce infections. Healthcare providers will always wash or disinfect their hands. You and your visitors are also encouraged to practice good hand hygiene by using the hand sanitizer available in the hospital.

Pain is a complex concept and is experienced differently by each patient. UZ Leuven wants to make your stay in the hospital as pleasant as possible and is committed to preventing or remedying pain as much as possible. Are you in pain? Tell us.

UZ Leuven strives to minimize the use of physical restraint measures. In exceptional situations, these may be used, following consultation, to ensure the patient’s well-being. Learn more about restraint measures.

As a patient you are entitled to clear information about your condition and any intervention, examination or treatment that results from this. Is anything unclear? Ask for more information.

Due to stress or emotions, your conversation with the healthcare provider often turns out differently than you had hoped. Only after leaving the appointment do you realise what you wanted to ask. Preparing well helps you get the right information. Read some tips to help you with this.