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Steps To Safer Health
Speak Up If You Have Questions
Speak up if you have questions or concerns. Choose a doctor who you feel comfortable talking to about your health and treatment. Take a relative or friend with you if this will help you ask questions and understand the answers. It's okay to ask questions and to expect answers that you can understand and feel comfortable with.
Talk About Your Options
Talk with your doctor and health care team about your options if you need hospital care. If you have more than one hospital to choose from, ask your doctor which one has the best care and results for your condition. Hospitals do a good job of treating a wide range of problems. However, for some procedures, such as heart bypass surgery, research shows results are often better at hospitals doing a lot of these procedures. Also, before you leave the hospital, be sure to ask about follow-up care, and be sure you understand the instructions that are prescribed.
Keep A List Of All Medicines
Keep a list of all the medicines you take. Tell your doctor and pharmacist about the medicines you take, including over-the-counter medicines such as aspirin, ibuprofen and dietary supplements like vitamins and herbal supplements. Tell them about any drug allergies you have. Ask the pharmacist about side effects and what foods or other things to avoid while taking the medicine. When you get your medicine read the label, including warnings. Make sure it is what your doctor ordered, and you know how to use it. If the medicine looks different than you expected, ask the pharmacist about it.
Get The Results Of All Tests
Make sure you get the results of any test/procedure. Ask your doctor or nurse when and how you will get the results of tests or procedures. If you do not get them when expected call your doctor and ask what the results mean and how they may affect your care.
Understand Any Type Of Surgery
Make sure you understand what will happen if you need surgery. Ask your doctor and surgeon: Who will take charge of my care while I'm in the hospital? Exactly what will you be doing? How long will it take? What will happen after the surgery? How will I feel during recovery? Tell the surgeon, anesthesiologist and nurses if you have allergies or bad reactions to anesthesia. Make sure all agree on exactly what will be done during the operation.
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