Navigating the healthcare system can certainly be tricky these days. We have access to more information and treatment options than ever before, but we’re also faced with many challenges. Even if doctor shortages, understaffed facilities and long wait times weren’t an issue, there are also medical errors and misdiagnoses to worry about. A lack of communication between patient and doctor and among members of the healthcare profession can have costly consequences too.
So what’s a patient to do? It’s time to be our own health advocate, experts advise. Whether you’re looking after your own health or someone else’s, here’s what it takes to be an empowered patient:
Know yourself
When you have all the information you need, you can make informed decisions. However, doctors aren’t always asking the right questions, and patients often find they remember crucial details after their appointment. Experts recommend gathering as much information or “evidence” as you can and keeping records. For instance:
- Know your medical history. When put on the spot, can you recall the relevant details of your past health? Sometimes things that seem trivial — like childhood infections or digestive upsets — can be important later on.
- Compile a family medical history. Want to know your risk for future illness or whether your doctor should screen you for a certain condition? The answer may lie in your family tree. Talk to your relatives and take note of the health issues that affect your family members. Knowing more about their lifestyle habits and successful strategies for managing illness can be useful too. (See A family tree for better health for tips.)
- Keep a record of what medications you’re taking. People are using more prescriptions, supplements and alternative therapies these days, especially as they age. To help head off any dangerous interactions, keep your own list of everything you are taking and bring it with you to your appointments and to the pharmacy. (Tuck a list in your wallet too for emergencies.)
- Journal your health. We keep records of our purchases and finances, why not our health? Taking time to take notes can help make sure details aren’t missed. For instance, documenting your symptoms can help reveal patterns over time.
A journal can also help facilitate communication because you have pertinent data in writing. For each appointment, jot down what you discussed and what the next steps are — like treatment, tests and follow-up appointments. (If you’re a caregiver, you may want to do this on behalf of the person in your care as well.)
