More on Partnering with Your Doctor

More on Partnering With Your Doctor

For many people, having quality care means getting peace of mind, beginning with their relationship with their doctor. The key is finding the right doctor—one who values relationships based on openness and trust and provides high quality care.

Quality care is care that works, is safe and is tailored for patients. The federal Agency for Health Care Research and Quality defines quality care as “doing the right thing for the right patient, at the right time, in the right way to achieve the best possible results.” [i]

Quality health care is: [ii]

•  Safe: It does not injure patients; it is supposed to help.

•  Effective: It is based on sound science to all who can benefit and refrains from providing services to those who cannot.

•  Patient-centered: It is respectful of and responsive to patients' preferences, needs and values.

•  Timely: It reduces waiting time and potentially harmful delays.

•  Efficient: It does not waste resources.

•  Equitable: It does not vary because of someone's race, gender, income or location.

“I tell groups of patients you're in charge of your own health,” says Dr. Michael Parkinson, President of the American College of Preventive Medicine. “I oftentimes say the new role of physicians, my colleagues, should be that of a Sherpa. I'm not going to climb your mountain, but I will help you climb your mountain to get healthier, to understand your medications, to help prevent unnecessary hospital admissions or complications from drugs you don't need to be on. I'm going to help you, and you need to help yourself. It starts with you being informed, and there are some very simple things you can do to begin on that journey to become a more informed patient and increase the likelihood of safe and effective care.”

So, how do you build a good partnership with your doctor? Talk to your doctors about your goals. At your next appointment say, “I want to take a more active role in my health and healthcare. Are you ready to work with me on this partnership?”

Let your Doctor be your teacher and guide.

Prepare for every doctor's visit.

•  Prepare for every appointment. Know your symptoms. When did it start? What is the location? Is it constant, if not how often does it occur and how long does it last? Is there anything that alleviates or aggravates the symptom? It may help to write these down before your doctor's visit.

•  Write down questions you want answered during your visit. Do not be afraid to bring them up, even if your doctor does not bring them up.

•  Bring a list of all medications, including any over the counter and herbal supplements you may be taking.

•  Bring copies of recent test results or treatment plans you may have from other doctor's you may be seeing.

•  A Personal Health Record (PHR) can help you to keep track of all this information. For information on creating a Personal Health Record click here.

Take an active role in every visit.

•  Listen, pay attention and ask questions, especially if you don't understand something. If you don't understand a medical term, ask them to explain it to you. Don't just ask the doctor what you should do. Ask why so your doctor can help you better understand your care.

•  Write down the diagnosis, the treatment plan and follow-up visits.

•  Be honest with your doctor about what you do and don't plan to do.

•  Ask about options or alternatives. What are the pros and cons of each treatment option? Talk with your doctor to determine which choice is best for you.

•  Ask someone to come with you to your appointment if you need help.

Learn all you can about your health problem - to get the best health care you need information whether it comes form your doctor, the library or the internet.

•  Start by asking your doctor for information about your problem. There may be information you can take home, your doctor can guide you to trusted sources of information and can connect you with other resources in his or her office or in the community.

•  If you use the internet to find health information as good place to start is Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) or the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

•  If you have any concerns or questions about the information you find, discuss them with your doctor.

What are some indicators of a quality doctor?

They're willing to talk, they're not afraid of questions, they welcome second opinions, they're not afraid if you'd like to bring somebody else with you to the visit, they use an electronic medical record or have a system in place to remind you when you need preventive care and they try to connect you with a counseling service or coach or somebody in their office to help you understand your medications and your care management plan.

[i] Guide to Health Care Quality: How to Know it When You See It . Rockville, MD: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, 2005. (No authors given.)

[ii] Committee on Quality of Health Care in America , Institute of Medicine. Crossing the Quality Chasm: A New Health System for the 21st Century . Washington : National Academies Press, 2001.

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