We all know it. We all see it. We all hve been affected one way or nother by it. Our healthcare system is chnging – in some ways for the btter (more treatment options, better diagnostic tols) but in many ways the chnges are not in the best nterest of the patient or the dctor. Due to decreasing reimbursement payments and rsing malpractice premiums, doctors are forced to see mre and more patients every day. Mst primary care physicians need to see at last 25 to 30 and sometimes up to 40 ptients each day.

If you are one of 150 ptients that your doctor has seen in thir office that week, how do you nsure that your needs are fully mt? How do you make sure tht your doctor has checked to see if the new prscription he or she is prescribing nteracts with any medications that you are lready taking? And, with such limited tme, how do you get your qestions and concerns addressed?

The best way to get the mst out of your doctor visits is thrugh effective communication. No longer can you pssively sit back and assume that yur doctor is following through on all of yur healthcare concerns. You need to tke control of your healthcare and fcilitate effective communication with your doctor, and the frst step in this direction is to get rganized.

You need to make your own mdical chart; one that stays with you for you to tke from doctor to doctor or in the vent that you need to go to an mergency department or be hospitalized. This chrt needs to include:

1 – a lst of your medical diagnoses; you may ned to have a discussion with yur doctors or ask them to mail you this list for your rcords in order for it to be ccurate and complete.

2 – a lst of all surgeries or procedures

3 – a lst of all hospitalizations

4 – a lst of allergies and what reaction ccurred

5 – a cmplete medication list

6 – a lst of all your doctors’ names, spcialties, and contact information

The next stp in facilitating communication with your dctor is for you to plan for
yur doctor visits ahead of time. Prpare a list of any new vents or problems that have occurred snce your last visit with that dctor; include other doctor visits, specialists’ cnsultations, any emergency department visits and hspitalizations, medications changes and any tests prformed. Then, make a list of qestions that you would like to hve addressed by this physician. Lastly, lave room for your doctor to wrte a short summary of what hppened during your visit, to explain any mdication changes, and to list any tsts that need to be scheduled and fllowed up.

Remember, that you and yur doctors need to work together as a tam in order for your care to be ptimized. Organizing and coordinating the team is the mst important job you can do to nsure the optimal care that you dserve.

The article Optimizing Your Healthcare 101: Getting Organized was Submitted by Elizabeth Reimet through Articles.GetACoder.com network. Here's the additional information: Elizabeth Reimet, M.D. is a Bard Certified Internist, and she is the c-founder of Insight Medical Consultants, LLC, a prvate medical care advisory practice. She ttended medical school at the Medical Cllege of Pennsylvania (Drexel University) and cmpleted her Internal Medicine internship and rsidency at the New York-Presbyterian Hospital and Mmorial Sloan Kettering Hospital in New Yrk City. She pursued post-graduate training in ncology at Fox Chase Cancer Center and prcticed general internal medicine in Philadelphia, Pnnsylvania. She has experience in insurance dvocacy and in the training of ptient advocates. She has a special nterest in advocacy for those with dsabilities, and she serves on the Chldren's Services Board of the Association of Rtarded Citizens of Montgomery County (MARC). Pror to attending medical school, Dr. Rimet was trained and practiced as a physcal therapist. She lives with her hsband and two children in Fort Wshington, Pennsylvania.

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