Making Wise Health Decisions

1. What are you trying to decide? Inform your doctor that you want to share in the decision making process. Ask your doctor to state the decision that must be made and the choices that you have.
   
2. Get the facts. Learn all about your options by using resources like your doctor, the Internet, the library. Make sure all the information you collect is based on sound medical research, not facts published by a company that will profit from your using their product, or the results of a single study.
   
3. What do you think? What are your values and needs? What do you hope for as the best possible outcome. Sort out all of the information you have into a list of pros and cons as you see them for each option. Then share this list with your doctor to determine that you have all the information you need.
   
4. Try on a decision. Write down the expected ending if a particular option is chosen. Ask your doctor if that is a reasonable expectation. Also ask again about the pain, recovery time, side effects, or longterm outcomes of that option. See if you still feel it’s the best choice for you.
   
5. Make an action plan. Once you and your doctor have made a decision, do what you can so that you will have the best possible outcome. Write down the steps you will need to take to have that outcome. Do your part to ensure success by following your doctor’s advice. Remember, when your share the decision making, you also share responsibility for the outcome.

Work in Partnership With Your Doctor
The relationship you have with your doctor greatly influences your ablility to make wise health decisions. Make sure that you inform your doctor that you want to be a partner in making decisions about your health. Shared effort, common goals, and good communication are the basis of good doctor-patient partnerships.

Skills for Becoming a Good Partner
You can hold up your end of the partnership with your doctor by doing the following:

1. Take good care of yourself. Many health problems can be prevented if you protect yourself and your family by attending yearly preventative exams, getting immunizations, and making healthy lifestyle choices.



2. Practice medical self-care. Many minor problems can be managed on your own. All it takes is for you to trust your common sense and monitor whether your efforts are working. Use your experience and advice from others to create a self-care plan.


• Make sure to note whether home treatment seemed to help. If you need to call your doctor or advice nurse, they will want to know what your symptoms are, what has been tried to treat the problem, and how well your home treatment worked.


• Plan a telephone call to your health professional if the problem continues. If it becomes more severe, do not wait too long before seeking the advice of your doctor.



3. Prepare for office visits. Be organized, as most medical appointments are scheduled to last only 10 to 15 minutes.


• Complete a self-care checklist and take that along.
  
• Write down your fears and hunches about what is wrong. This may be very helpful for your doctor.


• There may not be time to ask many questions, but be sure to write down the 3 most important questions that you want to have answered.



4. Be an active participant in every medical visit.


• Be straightforward and honest. If you are receiving additional treatment, such as acupuncture or chiropractic treatments, let your doctor know. If you would prefer to not take a prescribed medication, tell your doctor. To be a good partner in your healthcare, your doctor has to know what is going on.
  
• If your doctor recommends a drug, test, or other treatment, get more information about the risks and benefits, costs, other alternatives, such as a generic medication, and the likely outcomes before agreeing to go through with it.


• Take notes. Write down your diagnosis, treatment and follow-up plan, and what can be done by you at home. Read back your notes to your doctor to be sure you have things correct. You may also take a friend along to write down what the doctor says while you listen.



5. Learn all you can about your health problem. Any information you have available to you-whether you get it from the library, your doctor, or the Internet-is a powerful tool for helping make wise health decisions.
   
   If you have a more complicated problem or want to know more about your health options:

• Start by asking your healthcare provider if he or she has information about your problem that you could review at home. Some doctors may offer video- or audiotapes, brochures, or reprints from medical journals.
  
• Your health plan may have an advice line that you could call and get additional information or contact your Wellness Coach.


• If you would prefer to use the Internet to search for health information, start by searching sources such as the Agency for Health Care Policy Research (AHCPR), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, or a national organization that represents a particular disease. These sources present information based on analysis of a large body of medical evidence. Your health plan may also provide health information on their Web site.

• If you have questions or concerns about the information you find, contact your doctor to discuss.

Finding a Doctor Who Will Be a Partner
A family doctor (primary care physician or internist) who knows and understands your needs can be your most valuable partner in your healthcare. A host of specialists who work on separate health problems may not see your whole health picture or get a good understanding of what is important to you and your health. When choosing a doctor, you may ask many questions, but the following 3 matter the most:

• Is this doctor well trained and experienced?
  
• Is this doctor available when needed?


• Is this doctor willing to work in partnership with me?

Partner Potential
During your first visit, tell your doctor that you would like to share decision making of your healthcare treatment with him/her.

Pay attention to how you feel during this visit.

• How well does the doctor listen?
  
• Does he/she speak to you in terms that you can clearly understand?


• Does the doctor spend enough time with you?


• Does a good working relationship seem possible with this doctor?

If the answers are "no," look for another doctor. It may take more than one visit for you to decide if you can have a partnership with a particular doctor.