The quality and the cost of medical care depend more on you than on your doctor.
To become a wise medical consumer, start with three basic principles:
* Work in partnership with your doctor and health care team.
* Share in every medical decision.
* Become skilled at obtaining medical care.
By following these three principles, you will gain more control over the quality and cost of your health care than you have ever had before.
Work in Partnership With Your Doctor
Good partnerships are based on a common goal, shared effort, and good communication. If you and your doctor can make these things happen, you will both gain from the partnership. You will get better care and your doctor will practice good medicine.
Five Ways to Be a Good Partner
1. Take good care of yourself. Both you and your doctor would prefer that you don’t get sick in the first place. And if problems arise, you both want a return to good health as soon as possible.
2. At the first sign of a health problem, observe and record your symptoms. Your record of symptoms will help both you and your doctor make an accurate diagnosis. And the better job you do recording early symptoms, the better you and your doctor can manage the problem later.
- Keep written notes on the symptoms. Record when, how long, how painful, etc., for each symptom.
- Note anything unusual that might be related to the problem.
- Measure and record vital signs.
- Add regular updates and watch your progress. Are your symptoms getting better or worse? Continue reading ‘The Wise Medical Consumer: Work in Partnership With Your Doctor’ »