Getting healthy and staying healthy is a demanding process. Part of the process is making sure you get the right health care. For some, doctors can seem intimidating, so if they aren’t listening to you, it can be hard to speak up. Maybe you don’t want so many medications, maybe you want to try an alternative like yoga, or maybe the care is clashing with your schedule. Here are some tips on how to get the care you want.
How to Get the Care You Want
What you want to get is person centered care, this is defined by three things:
- providers should ask about a person’s values, goals and preferences
- they should use that information to guide all aspects of the person’s care
- they should do so in a coordinated and collaborative way as a health care team, including coordinating with the patient and other people the patient may want to include in the care relationship.
Though it can be hard to speak up, and time constrained appointments can make it even harder, do your best not to let this stop you. The first tip is to not settle for a one sided conversation.
You are in charge of your care, so if you don’t want a test done, or don’t want a certain type of treatment feel free to speak up. Your provider should give you choices and if they don’t, then maybe it’s time to find a new one.
Another tip has to do with the big picture. What do you want for your health? Everyone’s definition of healthy can be different.
Maybe it’s being able to walk with ease or not feeling pain or even having your body move easier. If you don’t know what you want, it can be hard to find the right path. This can also help with appointments because you can prepare ahead of time which can help steer the appointment in the direction you want it to go.
Also ask for your provider to keep a document of your goals in your file. This can be helpful so that you don’t have to keep repeating yourself.
Check out more tips here.