Health Care Insurance

Every person is different of course and every person’s disease or condition will affect them differently. Research shows that after getting a diagnosis many people have similar reactions and needs.

This list describes five basic steps to help you cope with your diagnosis, make decisions, and get on with your life.

1. Step 1: Take the time you need. Do not rush important decisions about your health. In most cases, you will have time to carefully examine your options and decide what is best for you.
2. Step 2: Get the support you need. Look for support from family and friends, people who are going through the same thing you are, and those who have “been there.” They can help you cope with your situation and make informed decisions.
3. Step 3: Talk with your doctor. Good communication with your doctor can help you feel more satisfied with the care you receive. Research shows it can even have a positive effect on things such as symptoms and pain. Getting a “second opinion” may help you feel more confident about your care.
4. Step 4: Seek out information. When learning about your health problem and its treatment, look for information that is based on a careful review of the latest scientific findings published in medical journals.
5. Step 5: Decide on a treatment plan. Work with your doctor to decide on a treatment plan that best meets your needs.

As you take each step remember this: Research shows that patients who are more involved in their health care tend to get better results and be more satisfied.

Source: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality

Recently we published some information on improving the quality and safety of your family’s health care by asking questions. Today we expand on that theme and share with you some information about asking questions if you are considering surgery.

Your first question should be “Why Do I Need an Operation?”

There are many reasons to have surgery and some operations can relieve and prevent pain. Others can reduce a symptom of a problem or improve some body function. Some surgeries can also be done to find a problem. Your doctor will tell you the exact purpose of the planned procedure.

Keep asking questions until you understand how the proposed operation will help your medical issue. For example, if something is going to be repaired or removed, find out why it needs to be done.

Your next question should be “What Operation Are You Recommending?”

Ask your surgeon to explain the surgery and how it is done. Your surgeon can draw a picture or a diagram and explain the steps in the surgery.

Also ask if there is more than one way of doing the operation? One way may require more extensive surgery than another. Some operations that were once quite invasive can now be done using much smaller incisions (for example, laparoscopic surgery).

With some surgeries you are requird to stay in the hospital for 1 or more days. Others let you come in and go home on the same day. Ask why your surgeon wants to do the operation one way over another.

Next you should ask it there “Are Alternatives To Surgery?”

Sometimes, surgery is not the only answer to a medical problem. Medicines or treatments other than surgery, such as a change in diet or special exercises, might help you just as well-or more. Ask your surgeon or primary care doctor about the benefits and risks of these other choices. You need to know as much as possible about these benefits and risks to make the best decision.

One alternative to surgery may be watchful waiting. During a watchful wait, your doctor and you check to see if your problem gets better or worse over time. If it gets worse, you may need surgery right away. If it gets better, you may be able to wait to have surgery or not have it at all.

Source: http://www.ahrq.gov/consumer/surgery/surgery.htm

Patient safety is one of the Nation’s most pressing health care challenges. A 1999 report by the Institute of Medicine estimates that as many as 44,000 to 98,000 people die in U.S. hospitals each year as the result of lapses in patient safety.

The following steps tell you what you can do to get safer health care. It was developed by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services in partnership with the American Hospital Association and the American Medical Association.

Step 1. Ask questions if you have doubts or concerns. Ask questions and make sure you understand the answers. Choose a doctor you feel comfortable talking to. Take a relative or friend with you to help you ask questions and understand the answers.

Step 2. Keep and bring a list of ALL the medicines you take. Give your doctor and pharmacist a list of all the medicines that you take, including non-prescription medicines. Tell them about any drug allergies you have. Ask about side effects and what to avoid while taking the medicine. Read the label when you get your medicine, including all warnings. Make sure your medicine is what the doctor ordered and know how to use it. Ask the pharmacist about your medicine if it looks different than you expected.

Step 3. Get the results of any test or procedure. Ask when and how you will get the results of tests or procedures. Don’t assume the results are fine if you do not get them when expected, be it in person, by phone, or by mail. Call your doctor and ask for your results. Ask what the results mean for your care.

Step 4. Talk to your doctor about which hospital is best for your health needs. Ask your doctor about which hospital has the best care and results for your condition if you have more than one hospital to choose from. Be sure you understand the instructions you get about followup care when you leave the hospital.

Step 5. Make sure you understand what will happen if you need surgery. Make sure you, your doctor, and your surgeon all agree on exactly what will be done during the operation. Ask your doctor, “Who will manage my care when I am in the hospital?”

Ask your surgeon:

     Exactly what will you be doing?
     About how long will it take?
     What will happen after the surgery?
     How can I expect to feel during recovery?

Tell the surgeon, anesthesiologist, and nurses about any allergies, bad reaction to anesthesia, and any medications you are taking.

More Information
Select for more information about medical errors. A Federal report on medical errors can be accessed online, and print copies (Publication No. OM 00-0004) are available from the AHRQ Publications Clearinghouse: phone, 1-800-358-9295 (outside the United States, please call 703-437-2078) or E-mail: AHRQPubs@ahrq.hhs.gov.

Five Steps to Safer Health Care. Patient Fact Sheet. AHRQ Publication Number 04-M005, February 2004. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, Rockville, MD. http://www.ahrq.gov/consumer/5steps.htm

view in PDF