Being able to communicate openly and honestly
with your physician is an important step in
getting the right health care, yet many people
feel uneasy disagreeing with their doctor's
suggestions. Learn to be more assertive with your
doctor and be a better advocate for yourself to
get better medical care.
!! Steps !!
Give your doctor the right information when
seeking a diagnosis. Sometimes a
misunderstanding or an inaccurate diagnosis can
occur because you haven't provided your doctor
with all the details needed to make an accurate
diagnosis. It is very important to give your
doctor a proper, thorough picture of your
symptoms, feelings, and any particular episodes
you've experienced that have caused pain, felt
bad, or have hampered your daily activities in
some way.
* If you find that you can't remember all the symptoms, or that you
"blank out" when talking to your doctor, keep a notebook and
diarize the symptoms as they occur. It can help to note the times,
location, duration, and dates too, as this may be important for
your doctor. It is better to provide more information than less,
as your doctor will know what to discard and what to pay attention
to.
* Be as accurate as you can be when describing your symptoms. If you
have a raft of symptoms, list them, and then leave it up to your
doctor to prioritize what may or may not be important. Doctors
given this option at the beginning of an appointment have been
shown to be more attentive and focused than when not given such a
list. [1]
* Don't leave out self-medicated treatments, such as vitamins,
natural health remedies, herbs, and generally available remedies.
Your doctor needs to know what you're taking already to be able to
ascertain whether or not these treatments have some bearing on
your condition. Equally, tell your doctor which vaccines you have
and have not had, or when you last had them, in case you're due
for boosters, etc.[2]
Be receptive and open to listening to your
doctor when he or she delivers a diagnosis and
treatment options. Your doctor is providing you
advice as a result of years of training and
extensive experience. If your doctor is
suggesting a particular course of treatment or
has made a particular diagnosis, there will be
a sound basis for it and it may make good
sense. Before you raise your disagreement, hear
the doctor out.
* Don't be afraid to ask for a repeat of anything the doctor says,
including asking for the explanation to be made in terms that you
can understand. In addition, it is perfectly fine to ask for a
written summary of what the doctor is telling you. This allows you
to take home the diagnosis, the treatment options, and any other
information and read it through as you're thinking about the
options.[3]
* Tell your doctor that you'd like time to think it through and that
you'll make another appointment shortly to discuss the next steps,
even if this is in 24 hours time.
Visit your local university's medical library and ask for
assistanceBe knowledgeable about your health issues. If you're
diagnosed with a chronic disorder or a disease, consider doing
your own research. Keep up-to-date on available treatments,
medications and research developments. There is never any harm
in raising information that you've taken the time to research in
relation to your disease. Get brochures from the doctor, read
medical literature, or take advantage of reputable medical
websites.
* A reputable website can be discerned from some of the following
indicators: it is endorsed or run by a medical association
responsible for registering, educating, or informing doctors; it
is run by or endorsed by government agencies responsible for
health and community well-being; it is renowned as a quality
source of medical information by doctors, nurses, and other
medical health professionals; it has a long-established tradition
as being a trusted source of medical knowledge in print form and
is now also available online.
* If you have access to medical journals and have a good analytical
and research mind, you might like to research these as well as the
generally available information. Keep in mind, however, that your
layperson's knowledge will not incorporate the extensive practical
understanding that someone medically trained has.
* Write down your research questions. You can take these with you as
prompts when sitting with your doctor.
* Bear in mind that your doctor needs time to digest the information
you present if he or she is not aware of new treatments or is
being presented with a new conclusion or viewpoint of your
condition or disease as a result of your research. Do not be
offended if they ask for time to consider; this is a sign of
respect for your efforts and a need to think it through.
Don't be afraid to ask questionsKnow how to ask your doctor
questions after a diagnosis or prior to treatment. One of the
most difficult things for many patients is knowing how to ask
questions of a doctor, questions that will elicit targeted
answers and can help you to properly understand what is
happening. Partly emotions stand in the way but partly it's also
about knowing what to ask. Some of the questions that it can
help to know to ask include:[4]
* Can you tell me what you think is causing my problem?
* Is it possible that my problem has other causes, or could more
than one condition or disease be contributing to it?
* What tests will you do to diagnose the problem?
* How reliable or good are the tests you're suggesting at
identifying the problem or condition?
* Are the tests safe?
* How will this condition progress? What is my long-term outlook if
I do have treatment? What is the long-term outlook if I don't?
* What are my treatment options? Are some of the treatment options
more effective than others? What are side effects of each
treatment option? Are some riskier than others?
* If my symptoms change or get worse, what should I do? When should
I contact you?
* Have you taken all of my current medications into account? Do I
need to worry about the possibility of adverse interactions with
any other medications you're going to prescribe for me?
* How do I monitor for side effects of the medications I'm taking?
* Are you willing to help me to combine an alternative therapy with
your suggested treatment? (Have a therapy in mind.)
* Booking a time to ask questions helps get extra time in busy
doctor's surgeriesAsk for a suitable time to raise questions. If
you're not sure you understand what is happening, ask questions
until you feel comfortable. Be up front about the need to ask
questions of your doctor. If you get the sense that your doctor is
rushed at the moment of diagnosis, be ready to tell your doctor
that you need to go away and think about the matter but that you
will have questions, and ask for a time when your doctor will be
happy to sit with you and respond to them. This alerts your doctor
to needing to prioritize your next appointment as one for
answering questions; in a time-starved profession, this is an
important heads up.[5]
Have confidence. You're not alone in being
afraid or worried about speaking frankly and
openly with your doctor. Even people who are
professionally trained to ask questions, like
lawyers, can clam up in the doctor's surgery.
[6] Start by acknowledging that doctors are
people too and they are not sitting on a
pedestal above you, and that they are there to
help you with your medical concerns. Rely on
being assertive rather than being aggressive,
timid, or impolite.
* Remember that you have a right to ask questions and to be properly
informed.
* Speak frankly. This is the time to voice your concerns. Say, for
example, your doctor recommends you have an endoscopic exam to
test for Helicobacter pylori but you're worried about the
discomfort and would prefer a noninvasive test like the urea
breath test. Find out what other testing methods are available,
and if you have a particular test or treatment in mind, let your
doctor know.
* Don't stay buttoned up about financial concerns. If your doctor
has referred you to an expensive specialist that you can't afford
or your medical insurance won't cover, speak up. Tell your doctor
who is within your price range (check your insurance, or explain
your budget), so that your doctor can reassess and find someone
else who will be suitable for you.[7] The same goes for medication
costs.
* Realize that a doctor who is informed of your concerns is a doctor
who is able to more sensitive to your needs. If you don't speak
up, your doctor is left with assuming that you're happy for things
to progress the way that he or she has suggested.
Bring along supportGet support. If you don't feel able to voice
your concerns yourself (for example, language barriers, stress,
depression, fear, stuttering, etc.), ask someone you can trust
to come along with you. You can still do the research and
provide your support person with the list. You may find that you
don't even need this person to speak for you, that their
presence is sufficient strength for you, but it ensures that
someone is caring for you. Even if you do most of the talking,
your friend can help you remember important points you want to
make or issues you and the doctor spoke about.
* Many hospitals will provide you with a patient advocate,
representative, or ombudsman if you need support in voicing your
concerns.
* Be clear about why you're disagreeing. It
will help both you and your doctor if you can clarify why you're
disagreeing with a diagnosis or treatment option. For example, if
you're concerned that your purported treatment time is about to
clash with a major family commitment, ask your doctor if it's
possible to postpone treatment by giving the real reason. The
human factor will help your doctor be more attuned to your needs
than simply saying "Can't we delay treatment?". The latter
question suggests to your doctor that you're unwilling to be
treated instead of making it clear that you simply need a short
postponement for a family event.
Act as your own coach. Think of the medical
staff as your team or partner. It is your
health and you ultimately get to be the boss
and make the decisions but you also get to
benefit from their experience and knowledge.
* Be respectful of the doctor, reception, and nursing staff. From
the outset, don't forget that you and your doctor are on the same
team. It isn't helpful to view this process in a confrontational
manner, and most doctors want to avoid confrontation. Being nasty,
abusive, or upset won't help your cause. Be polite as well as
firm.
* Remember that you have the right to refuse treatment or tests. If
you're unhappy with the options presented, you can seek further
opinions, or opt out of treatment or tests. It's your body and
your choice; just be sure to keep in mind the wishes of your loved
ones and others who care about you.
* If you don't get along with, trust, feel comfortable with, or even
like your existing doctor, seek advice from another doctor or even
change your doctor. This may not always be possible but it is a
perfectly acceptable action, and can be done with civility.
!! Video !!
!! Tips !!
* Use humor when speaking to the doctor. Laughter really is the best
medicine.
* If you feel your physician isn't giving your concerns adequate
importance, get a second opinion or consider changing doctors.
* If you have a billing concern, it's probably not your doctor you
need to speak with, although you can raise it with him or her and
ask who you need to consult. For large surgeries and hospitals,
there will probably be a billing department.[8]
* MedWatch (http://www.fda.gov/Safety/MedWatch/default.htm) is a
good site to use for learning about the adverse effects of
medications. MedlinePlus (http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/)
provides a lot of good medical information to help your research.
!! Warnings !!
* Be very careful about recommending treatment options or seeking
medical interventions that will cause more problems, such as
having too many CT scans. Some medical processes can cause medical
conditions and diseases if misused or overused; listen to your
doctor's advice.
* Avoid approaching your doctor with a confrontational manner; as
already outlined above, most doctors avoid confrontation. If you
have done your research, have clarity on what concerns you and
have good information about the options you prefer, your doctor
will listen and try to be cooperative.
* If your doctor remains uncooperative or has a poor listening
manner, seek advice from another doctor or medical team.
!! Things You\'ll Need !!
* Internet access
* Library with medical journals
* Pen and notepad to make notes, lists, questions
* Negotiation and assertiveness skills
!! Related WikiHows !!
* How to Find the Right Doctor
* How to Describe Medical Symptoms to Your Doctor
* How to Detect H. Pylori With an Endoscope
* How to Communicate in an Assertive Manner
* How to Read a Doctor's Prescription
!! Sources And Citations !!
* Research source – www.webmd.com
!! Article Tools !!
* Read on wikiHow
*
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