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How well you and your
doctor talk to each other is one of the most important parts of getting
good health care. Unfortunately, this isn't always easy. It takes time
and effort on your part as well as your doctor's.
In the past,
the doctor typically took the lead and the patient followed. Today, a
good patient-doctor relationship is more of a partnership, with both patient
and doctor working together to solve medical problems and maintain the
patient's good health.
This means asking
questions if the doctor's explanations or instructions are unclear, bringing
up problems even if the doctor doesn't ask, and letting the doctor know
when a treatment isn't working. Taking an active role in your health care
puts the responsibility for good communication on both you and your doctor.
Table
of Contents
-
Why
Does It Matter? Choosing a Doctor You Can Talk to
- Decide what
you are looking for in a doctor
- Identify several
possible doctors
- Consult reference
sources
- Learn more
about the doctors you are considering
- Make a choice
-
What
Can I Do? Tips for Good Communication
- Getting
Ready for Your Appointment
- Be prepared:
make a list of your concerns
- Make sure
you can see and hear as well as possible
- Consider bringing
a family member or friend
- Plan to update
the doctor
- Sharing
Information With Your Doctor
- Be honest
- Stick to the
point
- Ask questions
- Share your
point of view
- Getting
Information From Your Doctor and Other Health Professionals
- Take notes
- Get written
or recorded information
- Remember that
doctors don't know everything
- Talk to other
members of the health care team
-
Where Do I Begin? Getting Started With a New Doctor
- Learn the
basics of the office
- Share your
medical history
- Give information
about your medications
- Tell the doctor
about your habits
-
What
Should I say? Talking About Your Health
- Preventing
Disease and Disability
- Sharing Any
Symptoms
- Learning More
About Medical Tests
- Discussing
Your Diagnosis and What You Can Expect
- Talking About
Treatments
- Making the
Most of Medications
- Changing Your
Daily Habits
- Seeing Specialists
- If You Are
Hospitalized
- Surgery
- If You Have
to go to the Emergency Room
-
Can
I Really Talk About That? Discussing Sensitive Subjects
- Sexuality
- Incontinence
- Grief, mourning,
and depression
- Memory problems
- Care in the
event of a serious illness
- Problems with
family
- Feeling unhappy
with your doctor
-
Who
Else Will Help? Involving Your Family and Friends
-
What's
Next? Some Closing Thoughts
-
Getting
More Information
-
Additional
Resources
National
Institute on Aging, National
Institutes of Health
Prepared by the National Institutes on Aging December 1994
This book was developed by the National Institute on Aging (NIA), part
of the National Institutes of Health, to help older people communicate
successfully with their doctors. The mission of the NIA is to promote
healthy aging by conducting and supporting biomedical, social, and behavioral
research and public education.
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