... Seeing the doctor ... hospital stays
... right dosages
A compassionate doctor. An early, accurate diagnosis. Effective drugs and treatments that work, with minimal side effects. You deserve all this - and more - from your health-care system.
But the reality can be far different; your doctor's appointment may be shorter than a TV ad break; your doctor may interrupt you and have no interest in listening to you; at the hospital the staff who care for you may forget to wash their hands - raising your risk of a hospital-acquired infection; and you may receive prescriptions that cause unwanted side effects or that interact with other medication and remedies you're taking. Like any other service industry, there are many terrific doctors and hospitals, but plenty of mediocre ones, too and, on any given a day, someone is going to a make a mistake.
But there's the other side of the health-care equation. As patients, we don't always hold up our end of the bargain. studies show that half of us don't take prescription drugs are directed, and many of us skip them entirely. One in three of us is reluctant to ask questions. And many of us withhold important information from the doctor, either intentionally or without giving it a second thought. But
ultimately you're responsible for your own health, and it's up to you to get the best from any medical consultation. Sometimes patients need to speak up - about their problems, needs and concerns - to secure the best outcomes.
Your first step in making sure you receive top-quality health care? Believe that you deserve it. Don't dismiss your health problems simply as signs of ageing. If you take care of problems that come up as readily as you would have at a younger age, or even sooner, you're most likely to stay healthy and active as you age.
Your second step? Follow the strategies to get the care you need - and deserve.
Visits to the doctor that work
Experts have found that doctor tend to interrupt patients just 20-30 seconds after they begin speaking during a consultation. But the truth is, bossy doctors are just one reason you may feel short-changed when you leave your doctor's surgery. Your visit itself may feel way too short: in a study published in the British Medical Journal, Belgain researchers found that the typical visit in Germany and Spain lasted less than 8 minutes; in the United Kingdom and the Netherlands, around 10 minutes; in Belgium and switzerland, about 15 minutes.
On top that, we don't always use our time with the doctor to our best advantage. A Dutch study found that half of all visitors to the family doctor hadn't decided in advance what they wanted to talk about; 77 percent did absolutely nothing to prepare for their visit; and 80 percent didn't bring a list of questions with them.
Given the brevity of most appointments, being ready to give - and get - information should be your top priority. Information is a powerful weapon. And having a good relationship with your doctor is important. You should be comfortable discussing your lifestyle and health history so that your doctor can best address your health concerns and keep you healthy.
Beyond the doctor
Your doctor is the main person in your health-care team: he or she makes the diagnosis, decides on medication and treatments and oversees your progress. But the doctor is not the whole team. You'll get better sooner when you're ill, live more happily with chronic conditions and avoid medical problems if your team includes at least some of these health-care all-stars.
The practice nurse For straightforward problems, health-monitoring or routine screenings - such as having your blood pressure taken, keeping an eye on your weight or having a cervical smear test - you may be offered an appointment with the practice nurse instead of the GP, Often the nurse can devote more time to your appointment and may seem more approachable.
A nutritionist If you have diabetes or heart disease, meeting with a registered dietitian is an important way of finding out what you should be eating on a daily basis - and how to come up with strategies to make it happen. A nutritionist should also be on your team if you're overweight or underweight, have trouble eating due to an illness or if you're having trouble sticking with a healthy-eating plan.
Physiotherapist If you have back pain, joint pain or chronic muscle pain, a physiotherapist can help you to work your muscles in ways that ease the ache and build strength so that you'll stay pain-free.
Pharmacist This unsung member of the team can check for potential drug interactions when you get a new prescription dispensed - but only if you have all your prescriptions supplied at the same pharmacy (a highly recommended move). Pharmacists are willing to discuss side effects to wathc out for and can help to suggest alternatives if an over-the-counter medication is causing you some problems.
Here's how you can prepare for your visit, and feel more confident about asking questions.
Swot up before your visit Research your medical conditions and concerns by reading reputable websites. Generally, government health websites and those maintained by medical associations, large non-profit-making groups dedicated to a single medical condition, and university medical centres have the most trustworthy, up-to-date medical information. Make notes and create questions, but don't hand your doctor a huge sheaf of printouts and expect a response to them during your visit. Nor should you try to diagnose your symptoms or self-prescribe your remedies. It's still up to your doctor to do that.
Make a list of questions, then prioritise them You'll feel more confident when talking to your doctor - and you'll get the answers and information you need. The bonus: in one review of 33 studies of surgery visits, researchers found that people who brought checklists even got more time with their doctors.
Once you're in the examination room, don't be afraid to give your doctor the list. That way he or she can make sure that important questions aren't left for the last minute of your visit, and can check that the most serious issues are covered. It's okay to ask your doctor to give you the list back so that you can refer to it.
Rehearse In one study, older people who practised their questions were nearly twice as likely to speak up during the visit than people who didn't rehearse. Ask your spouse, another relative or a close friend to play doctor while you voice your health concerns, and ask every question on your list, out loud. The best time to do this in the hours before your appointment.
Bring a family member or friend along Another person who knows about your health and your concerns can help you to listen carefully, take notes, ask the right questions and even help you to make important decisions during a doctor's appointment.
Carry a tape recorder Replaying an audiotape of your visit could assist you in better understanding instructions and information that you may have missed or not fully understood at the time. Just let the doctor know you are recording for that purpose.
Be sure that your doctor knows these three important things about you If you haven't done so already, give your doctor your past health history, your family's health history and your own lifestyle history at your next consultation. when discussing your own past, inlcude major illessness, allergies and drug reactions. Family history? Summarise major illnesses your close relatives (parents, aunts and uncles, grandparents) have had, and pay special attention to medical conditions such as diabetes that seem to run in the family. Tell your doctor about your own lifestyle - explain how much you exercise, how you eat, whether you have a pet, how stressed you are, how stressed you are, whether you smoke tobacco or drin alcohol, and any over-the-counter or prescription drugs (from another doctor) that you take regularly. Do you bungee-jump, skydive or ski? Include details of any risky sports that you enjoy, too.
Evaluate your doctor Is she too bossy? Is he too deferential? Does your doctor interrupt or not take your views as seriously as you'd like? Try discussing your concerns first, and make a good-faith effort to build a relationship of trust and respect with your doctor. But if it's not working out, don't feel obliged to stay.
Patients who don't trust their doctors simply don't get well as quickly, studies show, probably because they're less motivated to follow their advice and treatments. Request to see another doctor in the same practise, or ask friends and family for recommendations for a new doctor.
Get the right dose
It was an eye-opening study: when researchers listened in on recorded conversations between 44 doctors and 185 patients, they uncovered a dangerous silence in relation to prescription drugs. When doctors prescribed new medication, they neglected to mention side effects 65 percent of the time, didn't tell patients how long to take a new drug in 66 percent of cases, skipped instructions on how often to take it 42 percent of the time, and didn't explain the drug's purpose in 23 percent of instances They even left out the name of the drug 26 percent of the time.
Doctors often fail to communicate critical information about medication use - and this could contribute to patient misunderstandings, researchers say.
This communication gap helps to explain why half the time, people don't follow directions when taking medication. And that, in turn, could contribute to dangerous side effects. A recent view from the University of Manchester found that 6.5 percent of all UK hospital admissions are due to adverse reactions to medication, with higher rates in elderly patients - those who are most likely to be taking multiple medications for long-term illnesses. And such adverse reactions are often due to prescribing errors, most of which are avoidable - so be sure you know just what you're supposed to be taking, and in what dose, and check that your prescription and the medication dispensed accords with the name and dose of each drug.
... right dosages
A compassionate doctor. An early, accurate diagnosis. Effective drugs and treatments that work, with minimal side effects. You deserve all this - and more - from your health-care system.
But the reality can be far different; your doctor's appointment may be shorter than a TV ad break; your doctor may interrupt you and have no interest in listening to you; at the hospital the staff who care for you may forget to wash their hands - raising your risk of a hospital-acquired infection; and you may receive prescriptions that cause unwanted side effects or that interact with other medication and remedies you're taking. Like any other service industry, there are many terrific doctors and hospitals, but plenty of mediocre ones, too and, on any given a day, someone is going to a make a mistake.
But there's the other side of the health-care equation. As patients, we don't always hold up our end of the bargain. studies show that half of us don't take prescription drugs are directed, and many of us skip them entirely. One in three of us is reluctant to ask questions. And many of us withhold important information from the doctor, either intentionally or without giving it a second thought. But
ultimately you're responsible for your own health, and it's up to you to get the best from any medical consultation. Sometimes patients need to speak up - about their problems, needs and concerns - to secure the best outcomes.
Your first step in making sure you receive top-quality health care? Believe that you deserve it. Don't dismiss your health problems simply as signs of ageing. If you take care of problems that come up as readily as you would have at a younger age, or even sooner, you're most likely to stay healthy and active as you age.
Your second step? Follow the strategies to get the care you need - and deserve.
Visits to the doctor that work
Experts have found that doctor tend to interrupt patients just 20-30 seconds after they begin speaking during a consultation. But the truth is, bossy doctors are just one reason you may feel short-changed when you leave your doctor's surgery. Your visit itself may feel way too short: in a study published in the British Medical Journal, Belgain researchers found that the typical visit in Germany and Spain lasted less than 8 minutes; in the United Kingdom and the Netherlands, around 10 minutes; in Belgium and switzerland, about 15 minutes.
On top that, we don't always use our time with the doctor to our best advantage. A Dutch study found that half of all visitors to the family doctor hadn't decided in advance what they wanted to talk about; 77 percent did absolutely nothing to prepare for their visit; and 80 percent didn't bring a list of questions with them.
Given the brevity of most appointments, being ready to give - and get - information should be your top priority. Information is a powerful weapon. And having a good relationship with your doctor is important. You should be comfortable discussing your lifestyle and health history so that your doctor can best address your health concerns and keep you healthy.
Beyond the doctor
Your doctor is the main person in your health-care team: he or she makes the diagnosis, decides on medication and treatments and oversees your progress. But the doctor is not the whole team. You'll get better sooner when you're ill, live more happily with chronic conditions and avoid medical problems if your team includes at least some of these health-care all-stars.
The practice nurse For straightforward problems, health-monitoring or routine screenings - such as having your blood pressure taken, keeping an eye on your weight or having a cervical smear test - you may be offered an appointment with the practice nurse instead of the GP, Often the nurse can devote more time to your appointment and may seem more approachable.
A nutritionist If you have diabetes or heart disease, meeting with a registered dietitian is an important way of finding out what you should be eating on a daily basis - and how to come up with strategies to make it happen. A nutritionist should also be on your team if you're overweight or underweight, have trouble eating due to an illness or if you're having trouble sticking with a healthy-eating plan.
Physiotherapist If you have back pain, joint pain or chronic muscle pain, a physiotherapist can help you to work your muscles in ways that ease the ache and build strength so that you'll stay pain-free.
Pharmacist This unsung member of the team can check for potential drug interactions when you get a new prescription dispensed - but only if you have all your prescriptions supplied at the same pharmacy (a highly recommended move). Pharmacists are willing to discuss side effects to wathc out for and can help to suggest alternatives if an over-the-counter medication is causing you some problems.
Here's how you can prepare for your visit, and feel more confident about asking questions.
Swot up before your visit Research your medical conditions and concerns by reading reputable websites. Generally, government health websites and those maintained by medical associations, large non-profit-making groups dedicated to a single medical condition, and university medical centres have the most trustworthy, up-to-date medical information. Make notes and create questions, but don't hand your doctor a huge sheaf of printouts and expect a response to them during your visit. Nor should you try to diagnose your symptoms or self-prescribe your remedies. It's still up to your doctor to do that.
Make a list of questions, then prioritise them You'll feel more confident when talking to your doctor - and you'll get the answers and information you need. The bonus: in one review of 33 studies of surgery visits, researchers found that people who brought checklists even got more time with their doctors.
Once you're in the examination room, don't be afraid to give your doctor the list. That way he or she can make sure that important questions aren't left for the last minute of your visit, and can check that the most serious issues are covered. It's okay to ask your doctor to give you the list back so that you can refer to it.
Rehearse In one study, older people who practised their questions were nearly twice as likely to speak up during the visit than people who didn't rehearse. Ask your spouse, another relative or a close friend to play doctor while you voice your health concerns, and ask every question on your list, out loud. The best time to do this in the hours before your appointment.
Bring a family member or friend along Another person who knows about your health and your concerns can help you to listen carefully, take notes, ask the right questions and even help you to make important decisions during a doctor's appointment.
Carry a tape recorder Replaying an audiotape of your visit could assist you in better understanding instructions and information that you may have missed or not fully understood at the time. Just let the doctor know you are recording for that purpose.
Be sure that your doctor knows these three important things about you If you haven't done so already, give your doctor your past health history, your family's health history and your own lifestyle history at your next consultation. when discussing your own past, inlcude major illessness, allergies and drug reactions. Family history? Summarise major illnesses your close relatives (parents, aunts and uncles, grandparents) have had, and pay special attention to medical conditions such as diabetes that seem to run in the family. Tell your doctor about your own lifestyle - explain how much you exercise, how you eat, whether you have a pet, how stressed you are, how stressed you are, whether you smoke tobacco or drin alcohol, and any over-the-counter or prescription drugs (from another doctor) that you take regularly. Do you bungee-jump, skydive or ski? Include details of any risky sports that you enjoy, too.
Evaluate your doctor Is she too bossy? Is he too deferential? Does your doctor interrupt or not take your views as seriously as you'd like? Try discussing your concerns first, and make a good-faith effort to build a relationship of trust and respect with your doctor. But if it's not working out, don't feel obliged to stay.
Patients who don't trust their doctors simply don't get well as quickly, studies show, probably because they're less motivated to follow their advice and treatments. Request to see another doctor in the same practise, or ask friends and family for recommendations for a new doctor.
Get the right dose
It was an eye-opening study: when researchers listened in on recorded conversations between 44 doctors and 185 patients, they uncovered a dangerous silence in relation to prescription drugs. When doctors prescribed new medication, they neglected to mention side effects 65 percent of the time, didn't tell patients how long to take a new drug in 66 percent of cases, skipped instructions on how often to take it 42 percent of the time, and didn't explain the drug's purpose in 23 percent of instances They even left out the name of the drug 26 percent of the time.
Doctors often fail to communicate critical information about medication use - and this could contribute to patient misunderstandings, researchers say.
This communication gap helps to explain why half the time, people don't follow directions when taking medication. And that, in turn, could contribute to dangerous side effects. A recent view from the University of Manchester found that 6.5 percent of all UK hospital admissions are due to adverse reactions to medication, with higher rates in elderly patients - those who are most likely to be taking multiple medications for long-term illnesses. And such adverse reactions are often due to prescribing errors, most of which are avoidable - so be sure you know just what you're supposed to be taking, and in what dose, and check that your prescription and the medication dispensed accords with the name and dose of each drug.
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