Take charge of hospital health care team

[Guest guest]

Take charge of health care team

Oct. 9, 2006 12:00 AM

After a recent hospital stay, I decided that it was time to update my

position on why you should be the captain of your health care team.

My experience taught me new lessons.

Modern medicine has provided us better health and longer lives. In

the past, our parents and grandparents could go to their family

physician and get treated. Times have changed. Now we have

specialists, which add to your ability to get the quality health care

you need.

Today's medicine may require you to go to one location to see a

family, or internal medicine, practitioner. From there, you might go

to an X-ray facility, another location for lab work, then to any

number of other medical facilities for specialty diagnosis such as

cardiology, dermatology or oncology.

Keep a log

To facilitate your care, I advocate keeping your personal medical

record current. Keep a log of every medication you take, including

the dosage for each.

Most of us cannot determine what medicines can be taken with other

medicines. If you don't share your prescription information with each

physician you see, he or she won't know what other doctors may have

prescribed. Be sure to include over-the-counter medications and any

supplemental herbs or natural products in the list.

When I went to the emergency room, I wasn't able to print off a

medications list from my computer. In my case, being light-headed and

experiencing a rapid heart rate made it more difficult to remember

them in the emergency room.

You won't always be able to have someone with you who is familiar

with your medical history. Putting a copy of your medical history

where it is easy to reach is especially important if an emergency

arises.

If you experience symptoms of some condition, I recommend that you

keep a log of what you are experiencing, when it occurs and its

severity. I had been doing that, but I was too weak to go upstairs to

retrieve it before I went to the emergency room. Fortunately, my wife

was able to bring it in later.

Medical history a key

Having both a recent and cumulative medical history can be

invaluable. When a particular test was proposed, I was able to tell

the staff that I had had that test four weeks earlier in their out-

patient facility, so they could consult the records. Not only did it

save money, they were able to speed up the diagnosis.

If you have a recurring condition, your medical history is even more

important. Not only should you keep track of the incidents, but also

any treatments that you had. For example, I asked for and received

copies of my gastrointestinal scopes, so that they would be available

if the problem recurred. I now have four sets to provide for future

diagnostic comparison.

You can keep notes from your visits with your physician. Your doctor

keeps a record, and you should do the same. We remember only 10

percent of what we hear. Your written record will help you understand

your physician's findings and orders.

Equipped with your notes in an emergency, or when you're referred to

a specialist, you are providing your physician with a wealth of

information to help with your diagnosis and treatment. The more

information you provide, the faster your case can be analyzed and

treated.

Your notes will help you with what may be necessary during treatment

follow-up. Make a careful log of the side effects of drugs, or drug

interactions. You cannot take your physician home to make sure you

follow directions. It's up to you.

Carry a medical record

We never expect to be in a situation where we may have to seek

emergency treatment. Taking a detailed medical file everywhere you go

isn't possible, but you can carry a summary in your wallet or purse

and have a phone number of someone who could get the more complete

information to the emergency room, if needed.

If you have an older parent, it's important that you help prepare a

medical record for them, especially if your parent is frail. In some

cases, you may want your parent to wear a bracelet that asks that you

be called in emergency. You may be called on to be the captain of

your parent's health care team.

One of the most difficult situations is what happens when you or your

parent has to go to an emergency room on a weekend. Regular

physicians and health records may not be easily available, so having

an abbreviated history can greatly aid in diagnosis and care.

One of my nurses said she was frustrated than many of her older

patients are admitted and have no one to captain their care, so she

tries to help facilitate answers to the patient's needs. While there

should be more professionals like this nurse, you cannot expect

medical staff to take extra time and effort to replace a family

member or friend during your stay.

Take charge of care

If you or your parent is living alone, you need a lieutenant to

participate on your health care team.

When I told a friend of my recent medical experience, she said that

she lives alone and may not have daily regular contact with friends

or family. I suggested that she develop a buddy phone system. In my

neighborhood several people keep track of each other and know where

to find medical records and physician's contact information.

As captain of your health team, you need good records handy for you,

your doctorand your family. It helps to have a lieutenant to back you

up.

http://www.azcentral.com/community/scottsdale/articles/1009sr-

aging1009Z8.html

Arnold is a professor emeritus at Arizona State University.

[Guest guest]

These are great ideas. Having had plenty of hospital experience, I hardily agree that we must be in charge of our own care or have someone who loves us to do it. Feeling better, Lee? Blessings! TamarinLee <jackalope_lepus@...> wrote: Take charge of health care team Oct. 9, 2006 12:00 AMAfter a recent hospital stay, I decided that it was time to update my position on why you should be the captain of your health care team. My experience taught me new lessons.Modern medicine has provided us better

health and longer lives. In the past, our parents and grandparents could go to their family physician and get treated. Times have changed. Now we have specialists, which add to your ability to get the quality health care you need. Today's medicine may require you to go to one location to see a family, or internal medicine, practitioner. From there, you might go to an X-ray facility, another location for lab work, then to any number of other medical facilities for specialty diagnosis such as cardiology, dermatology or oncology. Keep a log To facilitate your care, I advocate keeping your personal medical record current. Keep a log of every medication you take, including the dosage for each. Most of us cannot determine what medicines can be taken with other medicines. If you don't share your prescription information with each physician you see, he or she won't know what other doctors may have

prescribed. Be sure to include over-the-counter medications and any supplemental herbs or natural products in the list. When I went to the emergency room, I wasn't able to print off a medications list from my computer. In my case, being light-headed and experiencing a rapid heart rate made it more difficult to remember them in the emergency room. You won't always be able to have someone with you who is familiar with your medical history. Putting a copy of your medical history where it is easy to reach is especially important if an emergency arises. If you experience symptoms of some condition, I recommend that you keep a log of what you are experiencing, when it occurs and its severity. I had been doing that, but I was too weak to go upstairs to retrieve it before I went to the emergency room. Fortunately, my wife was able to bring it in later. Medical history a key Having both a recent and

cumulative medical history can be invaluable. When a particular test was proposed, I was able to tell the staff that I had had that test four weeks earlier in their out-patient facility, so they could consult the records. Not only did it save money, they were able to speed up the diagnosis. If you have a recurring condition, your medical history is even more important. Not only should you keep track of the incidents, but also any treatments that you had. For example, I asked for and received copies of my gastrointestinal scopes, so that they would be available if the problem recurred. I now have four sets to provide for future diagnostic comparison. You can keep notes from your visits with your physician. Your doctor keeps a record, and you should do the same. We remember only 10 percent of what we hear. Your written record will help you understand your physician's findings and orders.Equipped with

your notes in an emergency, or when you're referred to a specialist, you are providing your physician with a wealth of information to help with your diagnosis and treatment. The more information you provide, the faster your case can be analyzed and treated. Your notes will help you with what may be necessary during treatment follow-up. Make a careful log of the side effects of drugs, or drug interactions. You cannot take your physician home to make sure you follow directions. It's up to you. Carry a medical record We never expect to be in a situation where we may have to seek emergency treatment. Taking a detailed medical file everywhere you go isn't possible, but you can carry a summary in your wallet or purse and have a phone number of someone who could get the more complete information to the emergency room, if needed. If you have an older parent, it's important that you help prepare a medical

record for them, especially if your parent is frail. In some cases, you may want your parent to wear a bracelet that asks that you be called in emergency. You may be called on to be the captain of your parent's health care team.One of the most difficult situations is what happens when you or your parent has to go to an emergency room on a weekend. Regular physicians and health records may not be easily available, so having an abbreviated history can greatly aid in diagnosis and care. One of my nurses said she was frustrated than many of her older patients are admitted and have no one to captain their care, so she tries to help facilitate answers to the patient's needs. While there should be more professionals like this nurse, you cannot expect medical staff to take extra time and effort to replace a family member or friend during your stay.Take charge of care If you or your parent is living alone, you

need a lieutenant to participate on your health care team. When I told a friend of my recent medical experience, she said that she lives alone and may not have daily regular contact with friends or family. I suggested that she develop a buddy phone system. In my neighborhood several people keep track of each other and know where to find medical records and physician's contact information.As captain of your health team, you need good records handy for you, your doctorand your family. It helps to have a lieutenant to back you up.http://www.azcentral.com/community/scottsdale/articles/1009sr-aging1009Z8.html Arnold is a professor emeritus at Arizona State University.

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[Guest guest]

Thank you, yes, I am feeling much better today. Have just completed a

course of antibiotics. I will not forget when I went in to see the

doc, who had not seen me before, she wanted some basic info so I handed

her my medical history sheet (prepared last year along the lines of

what this article suggests) and she looked at it and said: " this is

beautiful! " So it pays to have things prepared because the stack of

medical records in my file folder could not answer her questions as

fast as that single sheet of paper that I always carry.

>

> These are great ideas. Having had plenty of hospital experience, I

hardily agree that we must be in charge of our own care or have someone

who loves us to do it. Feeling better, Lee? Blessings! Tamarin

[Guest guest]

I have had some similar responses but also have gotten some "hypochondriac" responses. Probably because I am female. Glad you are better. What was it?TamarinLee <jackalope_lepus@...> wrote: Thank you, yes, I am feeling much better today. Have just completed a course of antibiotics. I will not forget when I went in to see the doc, who had not seen me before, she wanted some basic info so I handed her my medical history sheet (prepared last year along the lines of what this article suggests) and she looked

at it and said: "this is beautiful!" So it pays to have things prepared because the stack of medical records in my file folder could not answer her questions as fast as that single sheet of paper that I always carry.>> These are great ideas. Having had plenty of hospital experience, I hardily agree that we must be in charge of our own care or have someone who loves us to do it. Feeling better, Lee? Blessings! Tamarin

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