Taking An Active Role In Your Healthcare With a chronic illness, many of our choices are taken from us, or at the very least, modified. That loss of control can lead to depression and despair. One area where many people feel helpless is in their health care. As a nurse practitioner, I am here to tell you that it is simply not true! You can take back control of this very important part of your life! There is one common denominator when it comes to your healthcare, and this is the most vital piece of the puzzle that will help you remain as healthy as possible. Physicians and other healthcare providers may come and go. Diagnoses may be modified over the years as your symptoms change. What remains constant is your position at the center of everything that takes place. You are the person who lives inside your body, and you are the one who ultimately makes the decisions regarding what happens to it. Of course we turn to doctors and other healthcare professionals to examine, test, and perform various interventions. We need that (mostly) objective source of information to help guide us toward healing. Good relationships with healthcare providers are essential. But sometimes we can encounter problems such as physicians who do not communicate with one another or those who refuse to take our concerns or wishes seriously. When situations such as those arise, there is only one person who can come to your rescue to sort through the confusion and take decisive action: YOU! I’ve had to fire a few professionals over the years. Sometimes it has been for reasons related to personality. I refuse to work with any professional who is rude, condescending or just has a horrid demeanor. Other times, I’ve had to prompt professionals to communicate with one another. When these efforts have failed, I’ve relied on others to fill in the gaps. For example, a pharmacist can serve as a resource and advise you if medications should not be taken together and help determine what alternatives exist. Sometimes providers such as physical therapists can serve as the catalyst for getting those physician to physician conversations started so that everyone is on the same page with regard to the plan of action. View each person on your “team” as a valuable member who has a stake in your health. Whatever issues arise, though, you are the person who holds the power and maintains the ultimate responsibility for taking care of yourself and being the team leader. The only exception should be those times when you are unable to serve as your own advocate. My recommendation for those circumstances is to have a trusted family member or friend who will act according to your wishes and in your best interest. Make sure this person knows exactly what you do and do not want and has a good understanding of your healthcare issues and needs. The more specific information you share, the better. If you have taken a passive role in coordinating your healthcare, spend a few moments pondering the reasons for this. Perhaps your level of trust for your healthcare providers is such that you feel they would never make a mistake. But they are human beings too and are as imperfect as we are. Or maybe you are too reserved to ask the tough questions and to firmly advocate for what you want and need. Remember that while your healthcare providers may be more educated than you are in the area of their specialty, YOU are an expert when it comes to your own body. And ultimately, you are the one who will be living in it regardless of the medical decisions that are made. If you maintain a position of control within your team and make decisions based upon the input of your teammates, you’ll be both intellectually and emotionally invested in the interventions that take place. My essential rule when it comes to medical providers is to only see those who view you as an equal partner. Since you are the most important member of your team, I hope you will embrace your critical role as your healthcare coordinator! The feeling of empowerment and control will benefit you in many ways. As always, if you ever have questions, concerns or comments, please contact me or leave a comment below. ~Jenn
Posted on: Sat, 08 Jun 2013 19:23:51 +0000
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