The Massachusetts Senior Medicare Patrol Program Recognizes Patient Safety Awareness Week with Free Workshops on the Importance of Being Engaged Healthcare Consumers

LAWRENCE, Mass., March 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The Massachusetts Senior Medicare Patrol (SMP) Program is recognizing Patient Safety Awareness Week (March 9–15, 2025) by inviting Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries, family members, and caregivers to attend free workshops on "The Cost and Consequences of Healthcare Errors, Fraud, and Abuse", to gain a better understanding of how to protect, detect, and report healthcare errors, fraud, and abuse.

Medical billing mistakes, patient record errors, medication errors, and unnecessary procedures can all lead to delayed or improper treatments—posing serious risks and compromising patient safety. Medical errors can result in incorrect diagnoses, wrong medical treatments, and contribute to patients receiving inequitable care.  The MA SMP Program encourages all Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries to take an active role in their healthcare by reviewing their Medicare Summary Notices, medical billing statements, and reporting all questionable charges and discrepancies to the MA SMP Program.

"Patient safety is contingent on an honest, transparent, and a patient-centric healthcare approach and delivery system", said Lucilia Prates, MA SMP Program statewide director. "Mistakes, such as medication errors, wrong diagnoses, and unnecessary procedures can have serious consequences. We all need to do our part to encourage patients and caregivers to feel empowered to ask questions of providers without feeling judged. It takes mutual respect and trust to discuss healthcare concerns, which ultimately promotes patient safety." 

During Patient Safety Awareness Week, the MA SMP Program will be offering the following free educational presentations to older adults, family members, and caregivers on "The Cost and Consequences of Healthcare Errors, Fraud, and Abuse."

Upcoming events include:

• Monday, March 10: 1 PM – East Boston Senior Center
  
  
• Wednesday, March 12: 1 PM – Ipswich Senior Center
  
  
• Wednesday, March 12: 1:30 PM – Longmeadow Council on Aging

Presentations are offered regularly across the Commonwealth. To find a presentation near you, visit www.masmp.org/events.

To schedule a presentation, please contact Lori Laviolette at 978-946-1278 or email her at [email protected].

The Massachusetts Senior Medicare Patrol (SMP) Program is part of a national initiative with a mission to reach, educate, and counsel Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries, family members, and caregivers on preventing, detecting, and reporting healthcare errors, fraud, and abuse. The MA SMP Program works in partnership with government, non-governmental, statewide and local agencies, community-based and grassroots organizations, and a corps of dedicated and trained volunteers to activate consumers to become better engaged in their healthcare.

Disclaimer: This publication is supported by the Administration for Community Living (ACL), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of a financial assistance award totaling $613,506.00 with 100% funding by ACL/HHS. The contents are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement, by ACL/HHS, or the U.S. Government.

SOURCE AgeSpan, Inc.