Mrs. Patricia Opong-Brown - TRICARE Management Activity
2009-06-03

The TEAM UP program is a Department of Defense (DoD) initiative implemented at Madigan Army Medical Center at Fort Lewis, Wash. It encourages use of a checklist, which is available on the TRICARE patient safety program Web site at http://dodpatientsafety.usuhs.mil/teamup.

“TEAM UP allows beneficiaries to be more active participants in promoting safe, quality healthcare,” said Heidi King, acting director, DoD Patient Safety Program.

The following TEAM UP checklist will help beneficiaries communicate more effectively with their primary care managers (PCMs):

Team Together

• Choose to be an active member of your care team.
• Invite persons close to you to be members.
• Follow the TEAM UP steps.
• Educate Yourself

Ask members of your care team to repeat their names and explain their roles.

• Know the plan for treatment and your role in it.
• Write it all down.
• Ask Questions

Situation: What is gong on with my care now?

• Background: What information do I need to understand the situation?
• Assessment: What are the options to consider?
• Recommendations: What is gong to be done?

Manage your Medications

• Provide a list of medications (prescriptions, over-the-counter and herbal remedies).
• Write down what medications are prescribed and why.
• Read each medication label carefully
• Alert the care team if a medication label does not match what was prescribed.

Understand Changes in the Game Plan

• Listen to how the game plan has changed.
• Ask Questions.
• Repeat the new game plan back to the care team.
• Provide your Perspective

Share all your feelings with your care team

• Raise concerns immediately.
• Repeat the concern and include why it makes you uncomfortable and how it may be a safety issue.

“It is important when something doesn’t seem right that you speak up immediately to the nurse or doctor who’s taking care of you,” said Army Col. John Kugler, director of the TRICARE office of the chief medical officer and practicing physician at DeWitt Health Care Network, Fort Belvoir, Va. For more information about playing a more active role in personal health care, beneficiaries should talk with their PCM or visit the patient safety program Web site at: http://dodpatientsafety.usuhs.mil/teamup.

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