It's all about preparation: once you need healthcare,
emotions ramp up and things get complicated quickly
GET A PRIMARY CARE PHYSICIAN (PCP) AND MAKE AN APPOINTMENT
The following links explain things in more detail:
GET A PRIMARY CARE PHYSICIAN (PCP) AND MAKE AN APPOINTMENT
- many insurance companies require the PCP to coordinate care and referals
- you can get to know a PCP over time and make your appointments more effective
- Consumer Reports - How to Find a Good Doctor
- University of Minnesota - How Can I Find a Good Provider?
- Why you should get a primary care doc
- What and who is a primary care physician?
- US News and World Reports - No-primary-care-physicians-accepting-patients-near-you?
*This is more likely in rural areas
THE HEALTHCARE TEAM
Descriptions of team members and their roles in your care: click this image  |
A little about the people working on your healthcare team: click this image  Docs and Nurses are Putting in Overtime for Us All |
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More about nurses and nursing (from my knowledge and experience):
Nurses not only work more closely with patients than do most doctors, they execute many of the doctors' orders. And, nurses are a double check on the doctors' orders for the patients. Administering medication, either orally or by IV, taking health histories, relaying the concerns of patients to the doctors, wound care, education of patients and family, ensuring that supplies are ready and available, and more. The double checks that nurses do are part of patient advocacy: Is the medication dose safe, is the patient experiencing side-effects that the doctor does not know about, has there been progress or do the orders need to be updated? What nurses cannot do, are not allowed to do, is diagnose diseases and conditions, to write the medical orders.
Here is an example of the nurse-doctor relationship that I heard from an ICU physician: What does the physician say to the ICU nurse who tells her that the patient needs such and such a medication? The doctor's reply should be, What dose?
While the doctor who gave this example to a nursing school class was using an extreme case, he illustrated the care and professionalism of nurses and nursing. Not all nurses have this kind of expertise and knowledge, nor should they. Nurses (and doctors) do not have all the answers, but they can help you to get the answers to your questions.
Here is an example of the nurse-doctor relationship that I heard from an ICU physician: What does the physician say to the ICU nurse who tells her that the patient needs such and such a medication? The doctor's reply should be, What dose?
While the doctor who gave this example to a nursing school class was using an extreme case, he illustrated the care and professionalism of nurses and nursing. Not all nurses have this kind of expertise and knowledge, nor should they. Nurses (and doctors) do not have all the answers, but they can help you to get the answers to your questions.
Since you are going to the doctor, now is a good time to think about advocating for yourself:
| QUALITY | I'm good | Needs attention |
|---|---|---|
| I ask questions | ||
| I am prepared and organized | ||
| I say what I want | ||
| I am assertive, but respectful and polite | ||
| I communicate my strengths, needs and wishes | ||
| I have self-respect | ||
| I know my rights | ||
| I actively listen | ||
| I take action, one step at a time, to make sure I get what is best for me | ||
| I communicate clearly and with confidence | ||
| I speak up for myself | ||
| I am able to listen to the opinions of others, even when their opinions differ from mine | ||
| I take responsibility for myself | ||
| I know where to get help or who to go to with a question |
PREPARATION FOR YOUR APPOINTMENT
and AT THE DOCTOR'S OFFICE
How to give a good health history from Forbes
Giving a good health history is as important as all the technology
- your family history, when and what family died of, such as cancer or heart disease
- other conditions that parents and siblings have/had
- this information can guide the docs to order the right tests at the right time
Step by step preparation and what to do at your doctors visit  |
How can I communicate effectively click this image 
(with examples, follow-up questions, and medication questions)
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For a more detailed look go to:
University of Minnesota - Taking Charge of Your Health Website
Getting a Second Opinion
an excellent article from AARP Some of the topics dealt with in the article:
an excellent article from AARP Some of the topics dealt with in the article:
- Questions to ask the doctors
- When should I seek a 2nd opinion
- Am I risking my relationship with my current doc
- How do I make it happen
- Who pays for it
- How do I prepare
- What if the two diagnoses are significantly different
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