Now that we have the “I had cancer” blog out of the way. Let’s talk about advocacy. Being my own advocate saved my life…eventually. But I made a lot of mistakes. I assumed the doctor knew best, it took me a long time to seek a second opinion, and I became overly emotional.
My hope is I can help others more easily advocate for themselves or A loved one.
We all know it’s important to stand up for ourselves. However, when it comes to healthcare, people often feel lost. Sometimes, actually most of the time, ordinary people don’t have the verbiage to properly communicate with healthcare professionals. People don’t speak their language.
Full disclosure, I work in healthcare, and I have for 20 years. I don’t believe any healthcare worker intentionally discriminates against patients. We do the best we can with the information given. We get it wrong sometimes…We get it right a lot too, so try not to be hypercritical.
That being said, if you are drug seeking to get high or going to the doctor seeking attention…STOP IT NOW! You’re ruining it for everyone else.
Since I don’t think this applies to most of us, I have 5 tips on how to effectively advocate for yourself and create a better healthcare experience.
1. Be prepared! Make a list of things you want to talk about. Everyone, even me, gets a little flustered and nervous when the Dr walks in the room. After all… you’ve rearranged your day, waited longer than you anticipated and you’re fully aware that the Drs time is limited. Not to mention, no one goes to the Dr when they are healthy, your mind is probably foggy from illness.
2. Ask questions! If you don’t understand, ask! If you have concerns, ask! If you’ve seen a commercial about a new drug or treatment, ask…just be prepared for the eye roll 🙄. Keep asking questions! But for the love of all that is good, DO NOT ASK GOOGLE! It’s the doctor’s job to answer YOUR questions, google just searches for relevant words…what pops up may not actually apply to you.
3. Express yourself clearly. The more accurate information you give, the better the results. [although I do feel strongly it’s the healthcare professionals job to ask you the right questions.] Do not just say, my stomach hurts, or I just don’t feel good. Give specifics!
4. Assert Calmly while being firm and persistent. This is hard! Especially when you’re ill, emotions can run wild. Take a deep breath, calm yourself and try again. Remember, the healthcare professionals are there to help you. It’s never ok to take your frustrations out on them.
5. Don’t be afraid to get a 2nd opinion. Heck get a million opinions. Just be mindful of why you’re getting those opinions. “I don’t like the diagnosis” is generally not a good enough reason, believing the Dr missed something is.
Above all, you do you! You know your body best. Take care of it and get help when you need it. If you need someone to advocate for you, find someone! We only get one body. It’s really up to you to get the care you deserve.