Did You Know?
- You have a right to see or get a copy of your medical records but not the personal comments that health care providers have added. Your request needs to be in writing and signed. Hospitals or other providers may charge reasonable fees for copying the records. Reasonable fees are no more than $12 for one to ten pages and 25 cents for each additional page. Also, actual postage may be charged. You may be charged for the actual cost of reproducing x-rays or other special items.
- The book ICD-9-CM contains the standard list of diseases used by all doctors and insurance companies. It is used internationally. The title stands for International Classification of Disease - 9th Revision.
- Women make more than 59 percent of physician visits, purchase 59 percent of prescription drugs and account for two-thirds of all hospital procedures.
Make The Most Of Your Doctor's Appointment
When we make an appointment with a doctor, sometimes we forget how much information the doctor needs from us. We know the reason for the visit, our level of concern and our questions. We know the prescriptions we take, other doctors we have seen, and test results that they have in their files. With a bit of planning, the delivery of this information to the doctor and then learning new information is easier and more effective.
Begin planning before you make the appointment.
- Is this doctor on your medical plan?
- Do you need a longer visit than usual?
- Do any other doctors have medical records that might be helpful to this doctor? They will need a written request from you to mail or fax copies of files to another doctor, and this may require several days.
- Do you need directions to the office?
- If a procedure will be done, will you need someone to drive you home?
- If it is a new doctor, will you need to go early to fill out paperwork?
Be ready to give the doctor or nurse the information they need in a clear, concise form.
- A written list of all prescriptions which includes the size or strength, such as .1mg or .05 percent. Include over-the-counter medicines and nutrition supplements.
- A list of doctors you currently see, along with phone numbers
- A concise but thorough description of your complaint. The clearer you are, the better your doctor can help you. Make notes for yourself if necessary. Include medical history and especially drug reactions that you think might be important.
- If you have asked other doctors to send medical records, call your doctor's office to confirm its arrival.
- If you must cancel an appointment, call as early as possible to reschedule.
Be ready for the appointment
- Take any necessary insurance information, along with the lists you have made
- Dress comfortably
- Take a pen and paper to take notes
- Be prepared with a book or magazine if you must wait
- Take a bath and do not drink alcohol before your visit
The Visit
Being prepared helps you to feel calmer when you talk to the doctor, nurses and other staff. It will be easier for you to understand what they say. Make sure your questions are answered, and take notes. You are there because you know all of them have knowledge and information to share with you, too.
Health Care Advice on the Web: Fact or Fiction?
Knowledge is power and information is strength. As a wise consumer you want easy access to health care information on any topic important to you. But how can you separate valid, reliable information from biased, inaccurate information?
The following are a few questions you can ask yourself to determine the value of what you read:
Is the purpose of the site to educate, advertise, persuade, exchange opinions or sell?
Can the content be verified or supported by other credible sources such as books or medical journals?
Are the advertisements on the site clearly separated from editorial content?
Is the content on the site current?
These questions are not meant to be inclusive. If you are interested in further guidelines to evaluate online information, you might be interested in Ten C's for Evaluating Internet Resources by Betsy Richmond and The Good, The Bad & The Ugly: or Why It's A Good Idea to Evaluate Web Sources by Susan E. Beck.
Remember, evaluating online health care information is ultimately your responsibility.
Check Your Doctor's Certification
The basic training of a physician specialist includes four hears of pre-medical education in a college or university and four years of medical school, in which a Doctorate of Medicine or a Doctorate of Osteopathy is earned. After that, some physicians spend at least two or three years of specialty training under supervision. This is called a residency. Board certification means the residency is complete and the physician has passed a national exam called a board. Training in certain subspecialties can take an additional two to three years.
The American Board of Medical Specialties certifies physicians in 24 specialty areas and 74 subspecialties. Check to see if your physician is board certified.
You Are Your Own Best Advocate
