From cancer care to chronic disease management, the growing role of patient self-advocacy in health care has become a hot topic. Team-based care, a popular goal in modern health care systems, actively positions patients as full participants in their own care. While this approach can improve the patient-provider relationship and increase patient satisfaction, not all patients and families are ready to step right into this role.
Are you prepared to be an effective advocate in your health care?
Self-advocacy in health care involves becoming armed with the necessary knowledge and tools to communicate well and make competent choices about your care and the care of your loved ones. It can also include ensuring access to care and addressing disparities in health care. Some perceived benefits of self-advocacy include improved patient-centered care, better patient-provider relationships and improved health outcomes.
Communicating with physicians and specialists can be overwhelming, especially when facing complex medical concerns or a new diagnosis. Patients navigating ongoing medical appointments with multiple providers often find themselves with loads of information to process and share with their other providers. Relevant details to share with providers may include recent lab results, food diaries, current medication list, past medical procedures and surgeries, symptoms, and findings from concurrent medical appointments.
Engaging in illness education such as research into one’s own health condition as well as patient assertiveness both appear to improve patient satisfaction. Ultimately, we are our own health historians. Our ability to communicate our health history clearly and concisely is an important part of accessing the care we need when we need it.
You may even find yourself managing the health care of your children and aging parents while juggling your own health care needs. How can you be a confident, organized and communicative advocate in your health care or the health care of your loved ones?
Here are some strategies to empower yourself to become a more assertive patient and a better advocate in your health care journey:
- Prepare for appointments by asking what you need to have on hand such as past medical records or a list of your medications.
- Educate yourself on your chronic medical concerns or potential conditions using reputable sources. Seek information and opinions from credible institutions, providers and experienced patients.
- Show up to appointments on time with a list of your questions.
- Keep a diary of your symptoms including time of onset, severity, what you’ve tried, and other important details so you can clearly explain where you are at in your journey.
- Bring a support person with you. If COVID-19 restrictions prevent you from bringing a friend or family member along, consider having them attend the appointment via phone or video.
- Take notes during your appointments. Make sure you get the correct spelling of any hard to pronounce terms.
- Don’t hesitate to ask for better explanations in more or less technical terms.
- Make sure you clearly understand your follow-up plan including the need for any additional tests, monitoring or referrals to other providers.
- Consider joining a patient or caregiver support group.
- When in doubt, or out of an abundance of caution, seek second, or even third, opinions.
LeeAnn Weintraub, MPH, RD is a registered dietitian, providing nutrition counseling and consulting to individuals, families and organizations. She can be reached by email at RD@halfacup.com.
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November 07, 2021 at 08:33PM
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10 ways to be an effective health care advocate for yourself and loved ones - LA Daily News
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