Don’t leave your health care provider’s office until all of your concerns are addressed.
Your relationship with your doctor, including how well you talk with each other, affects your care. A good relationship where you and your doctor share information and work together to make the best decisions about your health will result in the best care.
In addition to bringing your medications (or a list of them) and a list of any symptoms you may have, here are some questions to make talking to your doctor more effective:
Problem
What is wrong (if anything)? How do you know? What caused this problem?
Tests
What tests do I need and why?
What do the tests involve?
How do I prepare for the tests?
When will I know the test results?
Will my insurance cover the cost of the tests?
Treatment
What are my treatment choices?
What are the benefits and risks of each treatment?
What are the side effects?
Which treatment is most common for my condition?
What do I do if treatment fails?
Medication
What kind of medication(s) must I take? For how long?
What does the drug do? Will there be any side effects?
What should I do if I have side effects?
Can I take a generic version of the drug?
Will the medicine interact with any I am already taking?
Should I avoid any kind of food or activity while taking this medicine?
Follow-Up
Do I need to see a specialist? Should I get a second opinion?
Do I need a follow-up visit?
Here are more questions you should ask about the surgical procedure:
1 What is the procedure I will have?
2 Are there any other options besides surgery?
3 What benefits does this surgery have, in terms of pain relief and function?
4 How long will the benefits last?
5 What risks are associated with this surgery?
6 Is there any written or video materials I can read or watch about this surgery?
7 What is the success rate for this surgery?
8 How is the procedure done?
9 Will the surgery need to be repeated after a certain amount of time?
10 How many of these procedures do you do each year?
11 How many patients improve after this surgery?
12 What will happen if I don’t have this surgery right away?
13 If I want a second opinion, who should I consult?
14 Will you do the surgery or will someone else?
15 If you won’t do the surgery, will I meet the other doctor?
16 Will I need any tests or medical evaluations before the surgery?
17 What kind of anesthesia will be used?
18 Will the anesthesiologist know about my allergies?
19 Will I have pain following the surgery?
20 What pain relievers will I be given?
What do I need to know after the surgery?
1 How long will recovery take?
2 What limitations will I have during recovery?
3 Will I need assistance at home after surgery?
4 What will my discharge instructions be?
5 Will I have any disability following surgery?
6 Will I need physical therapy?
7 When can I return to work?
8 When can I drive my car?
Do you have any literature on my condition?
If you have Avascular Necrosis/ Osteonecrosis or any rare disease you probably will not have any literature available
Well I’m changing that for Avascular Necrosis now I just need Doctors to get on board.
It’s a great service to patients.
Contact me for details
#Osteonecrosis
#AvascularNecrosis
#WegoHealth
We most certainly have to be our own health advocate. I always write down questions for every appointment I have. If I don’t I tend to forget to ask. This is great advice!
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I would be happy to mail you one. Look me up on Facebook Deborah Briglovich Andio
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